African countries have been urged to safeguard health data within their borders through the development of homegrown, secure data systems tailored to local contexts.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said regional frameworks should be implemented to protect sensitive health information and enhance healthcare delivery across the continent.
Speaking at a ministerial roundtable during the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Duale noted that “the twin pillars of data and sustainable financing is key in accelerating achievement of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”.
Noting the sensitive nature of health data, Duale urged African countries to prioritise the development of secure, local data handling systems, pointing out risks inherent in storing such data in foreign countries.
The Assembly, co-hosted by WHO and the Susan Thomson Buffet Foundation, began on May 19 and will end on May 27 in Geneva.
Duale is accompanied by Health Director General Patrick Amoth at the forum.
Senait Fisseha, Vice President of Global Programs at the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, called on countries to rethink data and financing in a way that best meets the respective countries’ needs and the needs of the local people.
“For countries to truly lead and for funders and development partners to start to learn how to follow, data and financing are a natural place to start because that is where ministers are telling us to start,” Prof Fisseha said.
WHO Director General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, praised countries for coming up with solutions that are delivering equity in health provisions.
“From expanding domestic financing to pioneering real-time data systems, many of you are advancing solutions that are scalable, sustainable and rooted in equity,” Tedros stated.
“Data and sustainable financing are not just technical matters. They are political choices. They shape who is reached, how quickly, and with what quality of care. And they determine whether we progress or fall behind."
The deliberations on data come at the right time for Kenya as it seeks to consolidate reforms under the new Social Health Authority (SHA), also known as Taifa Care.
The new health dispensation in Kenya is heavily reliant on technology to drive efficiency, safeguard data privacy and avoid misdiagnosis.
The government also aims to curb fraud in hospital claims and root out unqualified practitioner.
To achieve this, Kenya is implementing a regulatory framework underpinned by the Digital Health (Health Information Management Procedures) Regulations, 2025, and the Digital Health (Data Exchange Component) Regulations, 2025.
Through these regulations, Kenya is looking to establish an integrated digital healthcare system that will deliver robust data protection.
