The Global Health Innovation Center and Innovations in Healthcare at Duke University have partnered with Broadreach, the InterGovernmental Authority Development (IGAD), the West Africa Health Organization (WAHO), Jembi Health Systems, and with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to address the problem of the limited use of data to drive performance in healthcare service delivery to improve health and development outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Our goals and objectives of this project are:

  • To address the problem of the limited use of data to drive decision making through the introduction of disruptive technologies
  • To equip and empower key stakeholders to make data-based healthcare delivery decisions, through aligned and harmonized data collection systems that will be used by regional and national partners for evidence-based decision-making
  • To improve health outcomes for all individuals, implementing a cloud-based personal electronic health record system to integrate cross-border data collection and ensure continuity of care regardless of geographic location.

We will focus on private sector engagement and how to further the project’s goals through this interaction and engagement. We will also provide and work towards: evidence learning, policy and structural framework development, capacity-building with other partners, healthcare solution scaling and adaptation, and commercialization and private sector engagement. Press Release June 26, 2021.

IGAD Regional Health Data Sharing and Protection Policy Framework

IGAD Regional Health Data Sharing and Protection Policy FRAMEWORKRepresentatives from the IGAD member states responded to the above findings by mandating IGAD to develop a regional health data sharing policy.40 The IGAD Regional Health Data Sharing and Protection Policy framework seeks to provide clear guidance for the member states on health data sharing via a set of universal principles that ensure that health data is adequately protected. This framework emphasizes the rights of patients by outlining the rights of data subjects and details the roles and responsibilities of various actors and stakeholders. Ultimately, it aims to facilitate proper data sharing practices that encourage ethical cross-border health data sharing following the highest possible standards.

The policy framework has been developed with an awareness of the dynamic, ongoing conversations in the member states around data sharing and protection. It has been informed by a series of in-person and written consultations from experts and stakeholders in member states and draws on best practices from the existing data protection laws in member states (e.g., Kenya and Uganda), the African continent such as the African Union (AU) Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Supplementary Act A/SA.1/01/10, and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Model Law on Data Protection. Download the Framework.