Decision-making information needs of health professionals in Tanzania a case study of the ministry of health and social welfare headquarters, Dar es Salaam

This study examined the health information needs of health professionals to facilitate their decision-making at the central level. The study was conducted at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Headquarters in Dar es Salaam. Research data was collected using questionnaires, interviews and observations. The study established that health professionals need crucial information when responding to enquiries from the public, when undertaking statistical or data analysis, or in their decision-making, as well as for policy formulation, guideline formulation, and planning of development programmes. The study identified the problems they face as lack of current information. unreliable internet services at the workplace, un reliable electricity supply, lack of transparency, poor sharing of information among MoHSW departments, poor flow of information at different levels, unavailability of local research reports, inadequate online local infomiation sharing, lack of knowledge on searching electronic data-bases and inadequate facilities such as books and computers. The study concluded that understanding the actual health professionals' infomation needs wascrucial to ensure they get rapid and timely access to critical information to make informed decisions. In consequence, the study recommends that the MoHSW Library should be equipped with adequate facilities. The library should be streamlined to serve as centre for all health information. A Library Management Committee should be formed to oversee the operations of the library. Furtherrnore, the MoHSW Library shou ld not be used a conference room to avoid compromising its primary function.