In July 2023, Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, introduced the Ecosystème Digital Minimal (EDM) in the health districts of Ziniaré and Ténado. The EDM integrates eight digital tools: Facture Individuelle Numérique de Soins, REC-Maternité, REC-PCIME, NetSigl, E-Qualité, Flux Financier Électronique, E-Gratuité and E-Santé Com. These tools aim to improve the governance, efficiency, quality and equity of primary healthcare, and to support the national policy of free healthcare. The evaluation combines implementation research, qualitative, quasi-experimental and mixed methods, with longitudinal follow-up from January 2024 to December 2025. Sampling is stratified: twenty health facilities in Ziniaré and Manga, sixteen in Ténado and Sapouy. Tool indicators are grouped together in a dashboard to facilitate data-driven decision-making. The evaluation analyses the design and implementation process, costs and resources, effective use of the tools, user experience, acceptability, buy-in and ease of use. It measures immediate and intermediate effects on resource allocation, availability and use of community health worker services, financial management and solvency of training courses, drug availability, reduction of stock-outs, as well as improvements in decision-making and the referral/counter-referral system. The roll-out includes an initial phase, a regional transition in 2025 and a scale-up in 2026. Results will be provided to the MSHP.
