By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
The
Smart Africa Board of Directors has formally approved the Smart Africa Master
Plan for Digital Health, a continental framework designed to build
interoperable, person-centered digital health systems and advance toward a
Single African Digital Health Market.
The
Master Plan provides a standards-based roadmap to enable countries to implement
solutions that facilitate the secure exchange of health information, improve
system performance, and unlock innovation. It establishes governance, policy,
standards, capacity-building, and infrastructure foundations, while promoting
implementation through sustainable technology platforms and financing
mechanisms.
Africa’s
health indicators highlight the urgency of the initiative. Average life
expectancy across the continent is 64 years, compared to 72 years globally,
while infant mortality stands at 47 deaths per 1,000 live births, nearly double
the global average. Per capita health spending in sub-Saharan Africa is just
$79, compared with $1,015 worldwide.
Smart
Africa emphasized the challenges caused by fragmented systems. A 15-year-old
girl with diabetes collapsing at school may face delayed care because local
clinics cannot access her medical records, forcing healthcare workers to guess
treatment or postpone intervention.
The
Master Plan seeks to harness Africa’s growing digital connectivity. By 2030,
SIM card connections are expected to reach 1.36 billion, covering 99% of the
population, while smartphone penetration is projected to rise from 51% to 88%.
This digital reach presents a unique opportunity to transform healthcare
delivery across the continent.
Lacina
Koné, Managing Director and CEO of Smart Africa, said, “This is the moment for
digital health in Africa. When our Council of Heads of State endorses this
Master Plan, it is not just approving a framework; it is affirming that the
future of healthcare in Africa will be digital, interconnected, and designed by
Africans for Africans.”
The
next phase will establish governance for Smart Africa’s Digital Health
Leadership Network, which will oversee the implementation of the African Single
Market for Digital Health, also known as the African Health Data Space,
ensuring that no African loses their life because their health information
could not keep pace with them.
