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Latest editionHere Lies Another Pilot: Obituaries for Africa’s Digital Health Projects, and a Survival Guide for Yours Essential readInside the Global Push to Make FHIR the Universal Language of Health Data Exchange Closes 3 DecNIH Fogarty Emerging Global Leader Award (K43, PAR-24-296)

Read by people at

  • Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
  • The Carter Center
  • Resolve to Save Lives
  • Vital Strategies
  • Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases
  • AIDS Healthcare Foundation
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  • GIZ
  • Africa CDC
  • West African Health Organisation
  • Africa Digital Health Networks
  • South African Medical Research Council
  • Ministry of Health, Ethiopia
  • National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Nigeria
  • Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research
  • Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences
  • University of Gondar
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Why the Digest exists

The Digest is where the people building health systems across Africa share what works, what fails and why. Every claim links to a source. Every guest piece passes an editor. Every opportunity is checked before it goes up.

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Latest edition · Policy & financing

Here Lies Another Pilot: Obituaries for Africa’s Digital Health Projects, and a Survival Guide for Yours

Why so many digital health initiatives never make it past the pilot stage, who is really responsible, and how to make sure yours is not next.

Dr. Albert Attom 8 min read

En brefPourquoi tant de projets pilotes de santé numérique meurent en Afrique, et comment la capacité managériale peut sauver le vôtre.

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Essential reads

Three editions to start with. They hold up.

  1. Inside the Global Push to Make FHIR the Universal Language of Health Data Exchange

    Three years ago, asking whether FHIR would become the dominant health data exchange standard was a legitimate debate.

    Systems & interoperability5 min read

  2. Africa's AI Diagnostics Gap Is Not a Technology Problem. It Is a Data Sovereignty Problem.

    African clinicians are already using AI tools built in the US and Europe.

    AI & data5 min read

  3. Why Digital Health Pilots Fail (and What We Must Do Differently)

    Across our continent, digital health innovation is everywhere.

    Policy & financing3 min read

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Health workforcePersonnels de santé

The Need for Co-created Digital Health Capacity Building and Policy Implementation Across Africa

Why capacity building and policy for digital health work best when African institutions shape them from the start. 13 Oct 2026 · 6 min read13 oct. 2026 · 6 min de lecture Systems & interoperabilitySystèmes et interopérabilité

Inside the Global Push to Make FHIR the Universal Language of Health Data Exchange

Three years ago, asking whether FHIR would become the dominant health data exchange standard was a legitimate debate. 20 Jul 2026 · 5 min read20 juil. 2026 · 5 min de lecture Health workforcePersonnels de santé

Africa's next health workforce crisis is already here

It is not a shortage of doctors. 23 Apr 2026 · 7 min read23 avr. 2026 · 7 min de lecture AI & dataIA et données

Africa's AI Diagnostics Gap Is Not a Technology Problem. It Is a Data Sovereignty Problem.

African clinicians are already using AI tools built in the US and Europe. 3 Mar 2026 · 5 min read3 mars 2026 · 5 min de lecture Policy & financingPolitiques et financement

Why Digital Health Pilots Fail (and What We Must Do Differently)

Across our continent, digital health innovation is everywhere. 29 Dec 2025 · 3 min read29 déc. 2025 · 3 min de lecture AI & dataIA et données

The State of AI in Ethiopian Healthcare: A 2025 Landscape Analysis

A survey of 449 Ethiopian health professionals finds that knowing about AI barely predicts using it. Infrastructure, not education, is now the bottleneck. 29 Nov 2025 · 4 min read29 nov. 2025 · 4 min de lecture Public healthSanté publique

Connecting People, Animals, and Planet through Digital Health

I sometimes think about a map from 1854. 29 Oct 2025 · 9 min read29 oct. 2025 · 9 min de lecture AI & dataIA et données

Doc, Can My Chatbot Handle That?

How AI is shaking up your hospital visit. 11 Oct 2025 · 7 min read11 oct. 2025 · 7 min de lecture AI & dataIA et données

What AI Means for Health in Africa

Hopes, hurdles, and the human touch. 23 Sept 2025 · 6 min read23 sept. 2025 · 6 min de lecture Supply chain & logisticsChaîne d’approvisionnement et logistique

Digital Logistics as Critical Infrastructure for Medicines and Vaccines

That "package tracking" feeling, but for your health. 14 Sept 2025 · 4 min read14 sept. 2025 · 4 min de lecture

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