As governance and management of the health system expands into different spheres, it is strategically important to bring together the multiple sources of data. The significance of data as a health system building block is well established, but for Nepal the challenge goes beyond improving the quality and timeliness of data. There are now the added dimensions of ensuring that different data sets are inter-linked and used as an integrated system rather than as disparate sources of information; and that new duty bearers with little or no experience of annual work planning and budgeting are supported to understand and use the data to make informed, appropriate and transparent decisions for which they can be held accountable. NHSSP3 seeks to ensure that decision makers across all spheres have access to high quality data to make evidence-based decisions.