Conference Abstract | Volume 9 (ConfPro8): Abstract 57 | Published: 09 Oct 2026
Frederick Maani-Anu1, &, Belinda Nsiah Opoku2
1Ghana Health Service, Mion, Northern Region, Ghana, 2Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, Accra, Ghana
&Corresponding author: Frederick Maani-Anu, Ghana Health Service, Mion District Health Directorate, Email: fredlivingstonemaanianu@gmail.com
Received: 11 Mar 2026, Accepted: 30 Aug 2026, Published: 09 Oct 2026
Domain: Health Systems
Keywords: Delayed report submission, fishbone analysis, root-cause analysis, data quality, health facilities, reporting timeliness
©Frederick Maani-Anu et al. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Frederick Maani-Anu et al., Fishbone analysis of delayed report submission among health facilities in Mion District, Northern Region, Ghana, 2026. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2026;9(ConfPro8):57. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO8-0057
Timely submission of health service reports is vital for effective health system management. The Mion District experiences delays in report submission from health facilities, impacting data quality and the responsiveness of the District Health Directorate. This study aimed to identify the root causes of reporting delays, determine the extent of district control over these causes, and suggest appropriate interventions.
A problem analysis was conducted in the Mion District using a fishbone approach. Focus group discussions and stakeholder (relevant health staff) brainstorming were used to identify causes of delayed report submission. Data were thematically analyzed and categorized into Manpower, Materials/Technology, Management/Supervision, Methods/Processes, and Environment/Logistics. Root causes were classified by extent of control as total (T), partial (P), or not under district control (N). Frequencies and proportions were calculated.
Fifty (50) staff participated in the problem analysis, of whom 22(44%), were clinical nurses, 1(2%), a health promotion officer. Several causes for delayed report submission were identified, including poor internet connectivity, limited information technology skills, low prioritisation of reporting, and poor monitoring and supervision. Poor monitoring and supervision was identified as a critical cause of delayed report submission. Of the 23 identified root causes, 11(47.8%) were fully within the district’s control, 7(30.4%) were partially within the district’s control, and 5 (21.7%) were beyond the district’s control.
Delayed report submission in the Mion District was associated with multiple challenges across manpower, materials and technology, management and supervision, methods and processes, and environment and logistics. Poor monitoring and supervision was identified as a critical cause, while almost half of the identified root causes were fully within the district’s control. Strengthening supportive supervision and accountability mechanisms helps improve reporting timeliness and data quality.
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