Governance of Digital Health Technologies in Sub-Saharan Africa

Governance of Digital Health Technologies in Sub-Saharan Africa

On 19 February 2026, LUMSA hosted a workshop with Prof. Jacques Simpore focusing on the governance of digital health technologies in clinical research across sub-Saharan Africa. The discussion addressed both the immense opportunities and the structural challenges shaping the region’s digital health landscape.

Sub-Saharan Africa shows a mixed landscape: while some countries quickly adopt electronic health records, artificial intelligence, and digital surveillance tools, others still face limited connectivity, weak infrastructure, and fragile regulatory systems. These gaps directly impact the development and management of digital technologies used in clinical research.

The workshop highlighted the importance of strong governance frameworks to ensure data protection, ethical oversight, interoperability, and equitable access. International and continental strategies, including the WHO Global Digital Health Strategy and the African Union Digital Transformation Strategy, provide guiding principles, but implementation remains uneven.

There were identified key challenges such as fragmented legislation, weak enforcement of data protection laws, limited institutional capacity, and socio-cultural concerns around consent and trust. These issues complicate cross-border research collaborations and hinder harmonization.

A central theme of the discussion was the need for a multi-layered governance model combining legal harmonization, institutional strengthening, digital sovereignty, and meaningful community engagement. Initiatives such as H3Africa demonstrate how African-led networks can build capacity while promoting ethical and secure data use.

It was concluded in the workshop that sustainable digital health governance must balance innovation with protection, and regional cooperation with national ownership. Strengthening governance systems is not only a technical priority but also a strategic investment in equitable and resilient health systems.