African countries are seeking stronger cooperation, digital infrastructure and sustainable financing to improve health information systems and healthcare delivery across the continent.
The call came at the first Africa Health Data Forum, which concluded in Nairobi on Thursday. The forum brought together more than 300 participants from 51 countries, including government representatives, development partners, academics and private-sector innovators.
A new World Health Organization report released at the forum warned that weaknesses in health information systems could delay lifesaving interventions, leave preventable health risks undetected and make it harder for communities to access essential healthcare.
The assessment, conducted in 2024 across 40 countries, found that only 19 countries reported notifying authorities of at least 80 percent of deaths, while 21 recorded causes of death for at least 80 percent of registered deaths, according to the report.
Only 43 percent had sufficient capacity to analyze health data at health facility level, while 25 percent had sufficient capacity to assess data quality. The report also stated that just 18 percent had a dedicated budget line for health information systems.
"When we do not know why people are dying, which children are missing essential services or where communities face the greatest health risks, we may overlook the very people who need our attention most," Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO regional director for Africa, said.
The report also found that only 20 percent of assessed countries had implemented digital patient medical records, while fewer than half had frameworks allowing different health information systems to exchange information.
Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Health Aden Duale said the country was working to bring its health records together under a coordinated framework, with plans to establish a National Intelligence and Analytics Centre under the Digital Health Agency.
"Every dollar and every shilling must strengthen our national health information system," he said.
Aboubakri Diaw, chief of staff at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, said the continent spends about $145 billion annually on health, but incomplete population and mortality data undermine planning and investment decisions.
"A child who is not counted is a child who is not planned for," he said.
