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Health leaders from across Africa and the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa have officially adopted the ‘Nairobi Action Agenda on Health Data’ at the inaugural Africa Health Data Forum in Nairobi, Kenya, aimed at integrating fragmented health information systems and improving healthcare services. This agreement goes beyond mere data collection and reporting, focusing on utilizing reliable health data for practical policy-making and resource allocation to reduce preventable deaths and strengthen frontline public health infrastructure.
The Inaugural Africa Health Data Forum and Adoption of the Action Agenda
Held over three days from November 10 to 12, 2026, in Nairobi, Kenya, the first Africa Health Data Forum was co-organized by the WHO Regional Office for Africa and key international health partners. The event brought together African ministers of health, senior government officials, WHO leadership, and multilateral development partners to assess progress in the continent’s health information systems and discuss actionable strategies to overcome structural limitations.
Dr. Abdurahmane Diallo, Programme Area Manager at the WHO Regional Office for Africa, emphasized that the newly established Nairobi Action Agenda requires countries to convert health priorities into practical investments that are financially supported, executable, and measurable. Dr. Diallo noted that every investment made in health information systems must lead to better decision-making, robust health services, and improved clinical outcomes, ultimately bringing positive change to the lives of citizens.
WHO Reports Diagnose Limitations in Africa’s Health Information Networks
During the forum, the WHO officially released two key reports diagnosing the current state of health data systems across the African continent. The first report, ‘Maturity and Functionality of Health Information Systems in the WHO African Region,’ includes detailed assessment results from 40 countries. The evaluation revealed that the average maturity score for regional health information systems stood at 59 out of 100, highlighting significant gaps in financing, governance frameworks, and data analytical capacity.
The second report, ‘Health Data Systems and Capacity in Africa,’ analyzed health information networks in 52 countries using the SCORE 2025 assessment tool. According to the report, while countries have made consistent progress in monitoring health system performance, not a single nation has reached the highest level of sustainable capacity required to effectively utilize data for policy formulation and field implementation.
The 8 Key Priorities of the Nairobi Action Agenda
Forum participants agreed that despite progress in digital health reporting and data collection, challenges such as data fragmentation, a shortage of specialized personnel, lack of sustainable internal funding, and an inability to translate analyzed information into actual policy decisions remain persistent barriers. Consequently, the adopted Nairobi Action Agenda outlines eight priority tasks to address these limitations.
- Strengthening national leadership and securing sustainable internal financing
- Improving health information quality and integrating fragmented data systems
- Investing in and training skilled health information and data professionals
- Responsible utilization of digital health and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies
- Regular use of data and evidence in healthcare planning and resource allocation
Country-Specific Success Stories and Preventing Duplicated Investment
The forum also showcased practical experiences and success stories from key nations including Ethiopia, Rwanda, Kenya, and Egypt. Presentations from these countries highlighted concrete achievements in improving the efficiency of health planning and service delivery through the adoption of digital technologies and the advancement of health information systems.
African governments and international partners agreed to align their health priorities and integrate them directly into existing national health strategies and budgeted investment plans to translate the Nairobi commitments into action. Furthermore, they resolved to reorient technical and financial support toward these national priorities, thereby reducing project duplication and significantly strengthening national accountability and ownership.
Establishment of the 2030 Implementation Framework and Biennial Forum
Implementation progress of the Nairobi Action Agenda will be systematically managed under the continent-wide performance, monitoring, and accountability framework running through 2030. Through annual self-assessments, countries will continuously evaluate whether strengthened health information systems are truly leading to improved health decision-making and better public health outcomes.
Additionally, to ensure the forum’s sustainability and enhance cooperation, it was decided that the Africa Health Data Forum will be held biennially. The second Africa Health Data Forum is scheduled for 2028, at which time implementation progress and technical cooperation status will be re-evaluated.
Official Source Information
This article is based on a press release officially issued by the WHO Regional Office for Africa on November 12, 2026. Source: WHO AFRO – African health leaders adopt Nairobi Action Agenda to turn health data into better healthcare