Weak death records and poor health data systems threaten timely healthcare in Africa – WHO
Weak systems for recording deaths, tracking health needs and analysing reliable health information could delay lifesaving interventions, leave preventable health risks undetected and make it harder for communities to access essential healthcare, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned.
A new WHO assessment of 40 countries in the African Region has revealed significant weaknesses in the health information systems governments depend on to establish why people are dying, identify emerging health threats and direct healthcare services and resources to communities that need them most.
One of the most concerning findings is the limited capacity of countries to record deaths and establish their causes.
Only 19 of the 40 countries assessed reported notifying authorities of at least 80% of deaths, while 21 reported recording the cause of death for at least 80% of registered deaths.
The gaps could make it difficult for health authorities to identify recurring causes of preventable mortality, recognise weaknesses in healthcare delivery and take timely action to protect vulnerable populations.
When deaths are not adequately documented and their causes established, governments risk losing important information needed to understand mortality patterns and determine where interventions are most urgently required.
Weak capacity to analyse and use health information
The report, The Maturity and Functionality of Health Information System in the WHO African Region, also highlights weaknesses in countries' ability to turn collected health information into reliable evidence for decision-making.
Only 43% of the countries assessed reported having sufficient capacity to analyse health data at health facility level, while just 25% reported sufficient capacity at that level to assess data quality.
This means that even where health facilities collect information, inadequate analytical skills and data-quality assessment systems could limit the ability of health managers to identify service delivery gaps, monitor emerging health risks and determine where additional healthcare workers, equipment and other resources are required.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, said countries needed to move beyond collecting health information and ensure that it informed decisions and interventions.
“When we do not know why people are dying, which children are missing essential services or where communities face the greatest health risks, we may overlook the very people who need our attention most. Countries have made important progress in collecting health data, but information must lead to action. We need stronger investment, skilled professionals and better coordination to turn reliable information into decisions that prevent avoidable deaths, improve healthcare and reach the most vulnerable communities,” he said.
African health information systems score 59% in maturity assessment
The assessment, conducted in 2024 across 40 of the WHO African Region's 47 Member States, gave the countries an overall health information system maturity score of 59 out of 100.
The score indicates that many countries remain at an early stage in developing the systems and institutional capacities required to produce, analyse and effectively use reliable health information.
However, country scores ranged from 26 to 93, reflecting considerable differences in progress across the region and the need for approaches that respond to individual countries' circumstances.
Financing and governance emerged as major constraints to strengthening these systems. Only 18% of the countries assessed reported having a dedicated budget line for health information systems, while 35% had an up-to-date national policy to guide their development.
The report also identified weaknesses in coordination, routine data-quality checks and the availability of trained professionals.
These challenges could undermine the sustainability of health information systems and limit the ability of governments to translate investments in data collection and management into improvements in healthcare delivery.
Digital reporting advances, but patient records remain limited
Despite the institutional and technical challenges, countries have made progress in adopting digital platforms for routine health reporting.
Forty-three of the WHO African Region's 47 Member States have adopted a digital platform for collecting and reporting routine health information.
However, the adoption of digital reporting platforms has not translated into widespread implementation of digital patient medical records.
Only 20% of the countries participating in the assessment reported implementing digital patient medical records, while fewer than half had established frameworks that allow different health information systems to exchange information.
This lack of interoperability means information generated by hospitals, laboratories and other health services can remain disconnected, making it difficult for health authorities to develop a comprehensive understanding of people's health needs and plan healthcare services effectively.
Zimbabwe and Nigeria demonstrate the value of reliable health data
Country experiences highlighted in the report demonstrate how improved health information systems can help authorities identify gaps and take practical action.
In Zimbabwe, maternal and perinatal death reporting previously depended on paper-based records that could take weeks or months to reach decision-makers.
The delays affected the timely identification of preventable risks, highlighting the importance of systems that allow critical health information to reach the people responsible for making decisions.
In Nigeria's Bauchi State, health authorities used vaccination data and community-level information to identify children who had missed routine immunisation and target communities that were underserved.
The examples illustrate how accessible and reliable information can support more targeted health interventions and help authorities identify populations that might otherwise be overlooked.
WHO launches Regional Health Data Hub to strengthen information systems
WHO and countries are taking steps to address the identified weaknesses. In August 2026, WHO launched the Regional Health Data Hub, a digital platform designed to bring together information from different health programmes and provide a more comprehensive picture of population health.
The platform is intended to make health information easier to access, analyse and compare, enabling decision-makers to identify underserved populations, monitor health trends and direct resources to where they are most needed.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the availability and use of health information across the African Region.
The findings were presented at the opening of the First Africa Health Data Forum in Nairobi, Kenya, on 10 November 2026.
The three-day forum, running from 10 to 12 November, brings together Ministers of Health, senior government officials, WHO and development partners to examine the findings, share country experiences and identify practical solutions and investment priorities for strengthening health information systems.
Discussions are expected to focus on common and country-specific challenges, opportunities for coordinated investment and the practical actions required to improve the collection, management and use of health information.
Participants will also examine how digital health, artificial intelligence and other innovations can strengthen health information systems and support more responsive healthcare services.
The findings of the assessment are expected to inform these discussions as countries and partners explore ways to address weaknesses in health data governance, financing, infrastructure and technical capacity.
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