Integrated Urban Health Data: Processes and Prospects for Strengthening Urban Health Systems in Nepal

Urban populations in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are growing rapidly, bringing diverse socio-economic groups, extensive informal settlements, and frequent migration into cities. Local governments in cities are central to policies and programmes to protect and improve the health of their urban populations. Yet, many struggle to access, integrate and utilise data across the multiple sectors that influence health, plurality of health providers and to do this at a granular spatial level that supports local decision making. These trends have led to persistent health challenges and stark disparities in access to care and health outcomes, as resource allocation and planning often lag behind dynamic urban need. This protocol describes a mixed-methods implementation study in two wards of Budhanilkantha municipality of Nepal to assess existing municipal data systems, collect geospatial data and household data, and build an integrated urban health data portal. We will conduct stakeholder interviews, community focus groups, and policy reviews to understand data use and gaps. We will then carry out social mapping, a door-to-door household census, and health facility assessments to generate detailed ward-level data on population, infrastructure, and health care services. These data will be geocoded and linked via common identifiers to existing routine health and administrative databases. We will co-create an interactive portal with local government users, featuring real-time dashboards, GIS maps, and analytic tools to support local planning and equity-focused decision-making. The expected outcome is a proof-of-concept framework showing how combined routine and primary data can inform resilient, multisectoral urban health governance.