Health data issues in Africa: time for digitization, standardization and harmonization

Abdoelnaser Degoot; Ismaël Koné; Shakuntala Baichoo; Mercy Ngungu; Nzisa Liku; Judit Kumuthini; Joyce Nakatumba-Nabende; Foutse Khomh; Bubacarr Bah

doi:10.1038/s41467-025-61104-6

Nature Communications (Jul 2025)

Health data issues in Africa: time for digitization, standardization and harmonization

Abdoelnaser Degoot,
Ismaël Koné,
Shakuntala Baichoo,
Mercy Ngungu,
Nzisa Liku,
Judit Kumuthini,
Joyce Nakatumba-Nabende,
Foutse Khomh,
Bubacarr Bah

Affiliations

Abdoelnaser Degoot: Data Science, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Ismaël Koné: Data Science, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Shakuntala Baichoo: Department of Digital Technologies, Faculty of Information, Communication and Digital Technologies, University of Mauritius
Mercy Ngungu: Impact Centre, Human Sciences Research Council
Nzisa Liku: Public Health and Digital Health Expert
Judit Kumuthini: African Biobank and Longitudinal Epidemiological Ecosystem
Joyce Nakatumba-Nabende: Department of Computer Science, School of Computing and Information Technology, Makerere University
Foutse Khomh: Mila–Quebec AI Institute, Polytechnique Montréal
Bubacarr Bah: Data Science, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61104-6
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 16, no. 1
pp. 1 – 4

Abstract

Read online

This commentary discusses health data challenges in Africa, focusing on digitization, standardization, and harmonization as key solutions. It highlights how addressing these foundational issues can enable AI and data science to transform healthcare systems across the continent.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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