The vision of a digitally enabled primary healthcare system across Africa has taken one step forward as African Union Member States, United Nations agencies, development partners and technical experts convened to validate the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Primary Health Care Digitalisation Framework.

The Framework provides a continental roadmap for digitalising primary health care – the point where more than 80 percent of health interactions occur in Africa. It establishes the foundation for interoperable systems that connect communities, health workers, facilities and policymakers, improving service delivery and enabling real‑time decision‑making during routine care and health emergencies.

Anchored in the Africa Health Security and Sovereignty (AHSS) Agenda, the Framework positions digital transformation as a core pillar of Africa’s health security architecture. Africa CDC aims to digitalise 90 percent of primary health care systems by 2035, strengthening the continent’s ability to generate and govern its own health intelligence.

Opening the workshop, H.E. Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC, underscored the role of digitalisation: “Digital transformation is not a luxury; it is the backbone of resilient health systems… one that allows our countries to detect outbreaks earlier, allocate resources more effectively, and ensure that every African life is visible within our health systems.”

He also highlighted the 2026 AU Summit’s appointment of Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, H.E. Abiy Ahmed, as the AU Champion for Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence, signalling political commitment at the highest level.