(SMART AFRICA) - Smart Africa Board Validates Digital Health Blueprint to Build a Single Digital Health Market - Historic decision on sidelines of Transform Africa Summit 2025 positions digital health as critical infrastructure for saving lives

The Smart Africa Board of Heads of State formally validated the Smart Africa Digital Health Blueprint, the continent's framework for building interoperable, people-centered digital health systems and advancing toward a Single Digital Health Market for Africa.

The Blueprint provides a standards-based pathway for countries to implement solutions that enable secure health information exchange, strengthen system performance, and unlock innovation. It establishes clear foundations in governance, policy, standards, workforce, and infrastructure while driving delivery through technology platforms and sustainable financing.

Africa's health indicators underscore the urgency of this decision: life expectancy averages just 64 years compared to 72 globally. Infant mortality stands at 47 deaths per 1,000 births, nearly double the global average. Health expenditure per person in Sub-Saharan Africa is only $79, compared to $1,015 worldwide.

Behind these numbers is a painful truth: Africa's health systems work hard, but they don't work together. When a 15-year-old girl with diabetes collapses at school, the local clinic minutes away cannot access her medical records. Healthcare workers must guess at treatment or delay care. Lives are lost not from lack of expertise, but from lack of connection.

The opportunity is unprecedented. Africa's SIM connections will reach 1.36 billion by 2030, covering 99% of the population. Smartphone penetration will rise from 51% to 88%. For the first time in history, nearly every African will be digitally reachable, creating a once-in-a-generation chance to reimagine healthcare delivery.

Lacina Koné, Director General and CEO of Smart Africa, said: "This is Africa's digital health moment. When our Board of Heads of State validates the Blueprint, they're not just approving a framework, they're declaring that the future of healthcare in Africa is digital, connected, and built by Africans for Africans.”

The next step is establishing governance of the Smart Africa Digital Health Leadership Network, which will implement the Single Digital Health Market for Africa or in other words the Africa Health Data Space. Together, we will ensure no African loses their life because their health information couldn't follow them."

About Smart Africa

Smart Africa is an alliance bringing together African countries, international organizations, and leading global private-sector players to drive the continent’s digital agenda. Launched in 2013, Smart Africa is built on a strong commitment from African Heads of State to accelerate sustainable socio-economic development through affordable access to broadband and information and communication technologies (ICTs). Today, the Alliance brings together 42 member states—representing more than 1.2 billion people—and over 50 private-sector partners, all working toward one vision: the creation of a Single African Digital Market by 2030.