Kenya is taking a leading role in efforts to strengthen Africa’s health information systems as it hosts the continent’s first Africa Health Data Forum, bringing together more than 300 participants from 51 countries to discuss how better data can improve healthcare delivery.
The three-day forum, which opened in Nairobi on November 10 and runs until November 12, 2026, is convened by the World Health Organization (WHO), Kenya’s Ministry of Health and the Digital Health Agency.
Held under the theme, Better Data, Better Health for All, the gathering brings together government representatives, health professionals, digital health experts, development partners and other stakeholders to address persistent challenges affecting the collection, management, sharing and use of health information across African countries.
A major focus is how countries can move beyond collecting health statistics to using reliable information to guide decisions, allocate resources and improve patient outcomes.
Kenya presented its approach to developing a unified health information system that supports a longitudinal health record for each patient. Such an approach can help healthcare providers access relevant patient information across different stages of care, reducing fragmentation in medical records.
The country’s experience with disease surveillance also featured in discussions. During its response to an Ebola outbreak involving the Bundibugyo virus, health authorities used contact-tracing data to monitor exposed individuals. All 135 contacts of the first case were traced, while the eight who subsequently tested positive were already in quarantine.
The forum comes amid continuing concerns about weaknesses in health information systems across the continent, including gaps in disease reporting, incomplete records and limited capacity to analyse and apply health data.
Participants are expected to identify practical priorities and develop an Africa Health Data Roadmap to guide improvements in the way countries generate, manage and use health information.
For African health systems, the discussions carry significant implications. Reliable data is essential not only for tracking disease outbreaks but also for identifying underserved populations, planning immunisation programmes, monitoring health services and ensuring that limited resources reach communities where they are most needed.
As the forum continues, its lasting value will depend on how effectively the commitments and recommendations translate into stronger national health information systems and better healthcare
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