Building Trust in Africa’s Health Data: A Conversation on the Future of Healthcare

Building Trust in Africa’s Health Data: A Conversation on the Future of Healthcare

Morning Cruise recently explored an important question about the future of healthcare across Africa: How can we use health data to improve healthcare while protecting the people behind that data?

As Cape Town prepares to host the 18th World Congress on Public Health, researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, data specialists and civil society leaders are coming together to discuss the future of African health data systems.

On the show, we spoke to Dr. Michelle Skeleton from the University of Cape Town, who is leading the African Health Data Systems pre-conference session. The conversation highlighted the importance of public trust, responsible data governance and stronger digital health systems across the continent.Why Health Data Matters Health data can play a critical role in improving healthcare.

From tracking outbreaks and informing public-health responses to helping doctors understand a patient's medical history, quality data can support better decision-making. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated how valuable health information can be when it is collected, analysed and communicated effectively. Public dashboards, for example, allowed communities to follow infection trends and understand how the pandemic was developing. But collecting data is only one part of the equation.

The bigger question is: How do we make sure that people's information is protected and used responsibly? The Challenge of Fragmented Health Systems. One of the major challenges facing African health systems is fragmentation. Different clinics, hospitals, provinces and countries may use different systems, software and patient identifiers. These systems don't always communicate with one another.

This can create a situation where a patient's medical information is scattered across multiple systems.Imagine visiting a clinic in Cape Town and later receiving treatment at a hospital in Johannesburg. If those healthcare systems cannot communicate, the healthcare professional treating you may not have access to your complete medical history.

Better interoperability between health systems could give healthcare workers a fuller picture of a patient's health, helping them make more informed decisions and potentially reducing unnecessary duplication. Building a Connected African Health Data Ecosystem, Looking five or ten years ahead, the vision is for African health systems to communicate more effectively.

That means investing in:

Better digital infrastructure

Secure data storage

Software systems that can communicate with one another

Stronger data governance policies

Improved data sharing between provinces, regions and countries

Responsible sharing of information with organisations such as Africa CDC

Better links between public health, research and private healthcare

The goal is not simply to collect more information. It is to create systems that allow useful information to be shared securely, ethically and efficiently. Putting the Public at the Centre. Health data is often discussed as a technical subject for scientists, researchers and policymakers. But ultimately, the data belongs to real people and communities.The public therefore needs to be part of the conversation.People should understand what information is being collected, why it is being collected and how it may be used. Where research is involved, participants should also understand their rights, including the ability to withdraw from research where appropriate.Trust is essential.

People are more likely to support health-data initiatives when they can see how their information contributes to a wider public benefit while also knowing that safeguards are in place to prevent exploitation or irresponsible use. Ethics and Accountability.

Another important issue raised during the Morning Cruise interview was accountability.When health data is used for research, there are established processes designed to protect participants and ensure that research is conducted ethically.Researchers and institutions have responsibilities when collecting, storing, analysing and sharing information.Data governance is therefore not simply a technical issue. It is also an ethical and legal responsibility.The question should always be: Are we using people's information in a way that respects their rights and serves the public good?

Making Digital Healthcare Accessible Beyond Major Cities Africa has significant differences in healthcare capacity and digital infrastructure.Well-resourced urban centres may have access to advanced technology and specialist healthcare, while rural and underserved communities can face very different challenges. Technology, particularly mobile technology, could help bridge some of these gaps.Mobile phones can increasingly be used to support diagnostic tools, collect information and connect healthcare workers with resources that may otherwise be far away.Artificial intelligence and digital applications also have potential applications in areas such as disease detection and diagnosis.But these technologies bring another responsibility: the data collected through digital tools must also be governed responsibly.

Creating a Common Language A major objective of the African Health Data Systems initiative is to bring people from different sectors and disciplines into the same conversation.Universities, research institutions, NGOs, professional organisations and private-sector technology companies all have a role to play.For collaboration to work, stakeholders need a shared understanding of concepts such as data governance, data sovereignty, trusted research environments and federated data systems.Creating a common vocabulary and shared principles can help build stronger collaboration across countries and institutions.

Towards a Social Contract for Health Data One of the most significant ambitions discussed during the interview is the development of a shared understanding of public trust in health-data governance in Africa.The aim is to move towards a social contract where communities understand how their data is being used and organisations understand their responsibility to protect it.Ultimately, better data systems could help Africa respond more effectively to epidemics and pandemics, improve healthcare delivery, reduce duplication and support research and innovation.But technological progress must go hand in hand with trust, transparency, ethics and accountability.

The Future of African Healthcare The future of healthcare in Africa will depend not only on doctors, hospitals and medicines, but also on the quality of the information that supports healthcare decisions.A more connected African health-data ecosystem could help healthcare professionals see a more complete picture of patients, allow researchers to collaborate more effectively and help policymakers respond faster to public-health challenges.However, the people behind the data must remain at the centre of the conversation.As the African Health Data Systems initiative continues beyond the Cape Town session and into future engagements across the continent, the message from our Morning Cruise conversation is clear:Better health data can lead to better healthcare  but only when it is built on trust and used responsibly.

Morning Cruise thanks Dr. Michelle Skeleton from the University of Cape Town for joining us and contributing to this important conversation about the future of healthcare and health data across Africa.

Listen to Morning Cruise for more conversations that matter.

Written by Esethu Thetha