• Workshop defines standards, integration flows and middleware solutions

• Reform aims to improve data quality, ease workload, support decisions

Burundian authorities are working to establish an interoperable health information system. A national technical workshop held from April 7 to April 10 brought together key digital health stakeholders to integrate the country’s fragmented health data platforms.

The digital health landscape in Burundi is fragmented, according to the Ministry of Public Health. Tools such as DHIS2, SIDAInfo and OpenClinic operate in silos, leading to duplication, inconsistencies and a heavier workload for health workers.

Participants mapped existing tools, identified priority data exchange flows and defined common technical standards, including the international HL7 FHIR standard. Middleware solutions were also explored to facilitate system integration.

The initiative is part of the National Health Information Development Plan (PNDIS II, 2026–2028), supported by Belgian Development Cooperation. It is also part of a broader continental trend, as telemedicine, electronic patient records and artificial intelligence expand rapidly across Africa to address infrastructure gaps.

The interoperability effort is expected to improve data quality, strengthen decision-making and reduce the administrative burden on health professionals. No timeline or budget has been made public.

Adoni Conrad Quenum