African governments promise to improve health data

Rgovernment presenters and experts from 51 African countries have today committed themselves, in Nairobi, to strengthening the continent's health information systems to improve decision-making, increasing national funding and strengthening digital infrastructure.

“ We recognize health data and information as a strategic national investment and an essential component of national development, and not merely as a technical function within our ministries,” said the participants in a joint communiqué after the closure of the First African Forum on Health Data, cited by the Spanish news agency, Efe.

Since Tuesday, about 320 delegates from 51 African countries and international organizations and agencies have participated in the meeting in the Kenyan capital, to which more than 200 participants have joined the online distance, under the motto ‘Best data, better health for everyone’.

“ Our health data remain fragmented between various programs, institutions and applications that are not interconnected; the essential functions related to the data, from routine reports to civil registration, censuses and surveys, lack adequate funding and rely excessively on short-term funds and linked to specific projects”, reads the document.

The African countries, also pointed out the experts, face “a shortage of epidemiologists, statisticians, data and computer scientists and, too often, rely on estimates and analyses produced abroad”.

After the debate, the participants approved eight priorities in a document entitled ‘Nairobi Action Agenda on Health Data: Accelerate Data Transformation and Health Information in Africa’.

Among other things, these priorities include strengthening institutional coordination and political leadership, with appropriate legal frameworks; increasing national funding with specific budget appropriations; strengthening technical capabilities to analyse data by training and retaining health professionals; or using artificial intelligence tools responsibly.

“ The challenge is not simply to generate more data, but rather to ensure that the data we generate are integrated, analyzed, transformed into useful information and used regularly to improve decisions and results in the health area”, reads the document.

The African Health Data Forum is expected to take place every two years to assess the progress made in the implementation of these commitments and objectives, Efe also writes.