The Smart Africa Board of Heads of State has officially validated the Smart Africa Digital Health Blueprint, a comprehensive framework designed to build interoperable, people-centered digital health systems and move towards a Single Digital Health Market for Africa.
The Blueprint offers a standards-driven approach for countries to implement solutions that ensure secure health information exchange, enhance system performance, and foster innovation. It sets clear foundations in governance, policy, standards, workforce development, and infrastructure, while driving progress through technology platforms and sustainable financing.
Africa’s health statistics emphasize the urgency of this decision: life expectancy in the region averages just 64 years, compared to 72 globally. Infant mortality stands at 47 deaths per 1,000 births, nearly double the global average. Per capita health spending in Sub-Saharan Africa is only $79, far below the global average of $1,015.
Behind these numbers lies a critical reality: Africa’s health systems are not integrated. When a 15-year-old girl with diabetes collapses at school, the local clinic just minutes away cannot access her medical records. Healthcare workers are left to make guesses about her treatment or delay care. Lives are lost not due to lack of expertise, but because of the lack of connection.
The opportunity for change is historic. By 2030, Africa’s SIM connections are projected to reach 1.36 billion, covering 99% of the population. Smartphone penetration is expected to rise from 51% to 88%. For the first time, nearly every African will be digitally accessible, offering a unique opportunity to transform healthcare delivery across the continent.
Lacina Koné, Director General and CEO of Smart Africa, remarked: “This is Africa’s digital health moment. When our Board of Heads of State approves the Blueprint, they are not just endorsing a framework; they are affirming that the future of healthcare in Africa is digital, connected, and designed by Africans for Africans.”
The next step is to establish governance for the Smart Africa Digital Health Leadership Network, which will implement the Single Digital Health Market for Africa, also known as the Africa Health Data Space. This initiative will ensure that no African loses their life because their health information couldn’t follow them.
