10 The following requirements are generally applicable to all official WHO statistics.
- Database of evidence. Estimates should be calculated using all data that fulfil a set of explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data sources should be obtained from a regularly updated database, from a country consultation, or from a systematic review of the literature. A high-quality and up-to-date database with metadata should be developed using the forementioned inclusion and exclusion criteria. It should be accessible to reviewers of estimates, as well as to the general public.
- Estimation methods. Estimation methods should be specified in consultation with DNA/MFI and fully documented.
- Technical advisory group. If possible, estimates incorporating a change in estimation methodology should be reviewed by an advisory group of independent experts.
- Documentation. Data and methods should be documented in line with the Guidelines for Accurate and Transparent Health Estimates Reporting (GATHER), where applicable. Study protocols and methods may be submitted for publication in external peer-review journals. The GATHER checklist should be submitted when new estimates are produced.
- Data sources. Data sources and supporting materials should be uploaded to WHO's data lake (see section XXII.1.3). Data sets and databases should be saved in a format compatible with WHO ICT requirements (see section XXII.1.3). For further information, contact DNA/DEX.
- Country consultations. Public release of country-level estimates must be preceded by consultation with the countries concerned (see section XXII.4.1).
- Dissemination. Technical programmes should maintain the most up-to-date data sets of country-level estimates and share them with DNA/DEX for publication through the Global Health Observatory following the country consultation process (see section XXII.4.1).
- Data-sharing. Data should be shared in accordance with the WHO data-sharing policies (see section XXII.6).
- Map production. The WHO GIS Centre for Health (see section XXII.1.4) provides support for the production of maps. Requests for map production services can be made through the Map request page on the WHO GIS Hub Map request page | WHO GIS Hub (arcgis.com)
- Recording and reporting: Compiling mortality and morbidity statistics shall be done in accordance with the current revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Injuries, and Causes of Death as adopted from time to time by the World Health Assembly. [1]
- Recording and reporting: Compiling and publishing mortality and morbidity statistics shall comply with recommendations made by the World Health Assembly as to classification, coding procedure, age- grouping, territorial areas to be identified, and other relevant definitions and standards. [2]
- Recording and reporting: Use the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) in research, surveillance and reporting as appropriate. [3]
20 Any population-level quantitative estimates (global, regional, national or subnational) for health or health-related indicators should be developed in accordance with the WHO technical standards for official health estimates (see Annex to Information Note XX/2023).
30 Official health estimates and other health-related statistics should be cleared by the Department of Data and Analytics prior to their publication by WHO; official health-related economic estimates should be cleared by the Department of Health Financing and Economics (see section XXII.5.1).
[1] https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/who-nomenclature-regulations-1967
[2] https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/who-nomenclature-regulations-1967
[3] https://apps.who.int/gb/archive/pdf_files/WHA54/ea54r21.pdf
