Abstract
Background: There is a wide-reaching consensus that health should be a priority in national development plans. This is why the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 is aimed at securing good health for all. If the SDG 3 is to be a reality, there is a need to consider alternatives to the present traditional health system in sub-Saharan African countries. The implementation of health informatics, which is currently the focus of attention in the health sector, presents a huge opportunity with the potential to revolutionize the health systems of developing nations, particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to reducing child mortality and infant death rates, providing high-quality healthcare in the region will help combat the challenges posed by preventable diseases and premature deaths that affect many sub-Saharan countries. Ensuring the quality of healthcare also depends on improving information quality, as accurate, timely, and reliable data are essential for effective decision-making and patient care. If the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) is to be achieved, this issue must be addressed.
Methods: This study reviews research on health information systems in sub-Saharan Africa. The search used medical databases (PubMed and Scopus) and found articles with keywords like "health," "information," "Africa," and "informatics.” It also focused on both benefits and challenges of digital health systems in sub-Saharan Africa. The articles were categorized into health information's potential benefits, its application, and barriers and opportunities to set up these systems. This review summarizes the current state of health technology in sub-Saharan Africa, identifies key trends and research gaps, and provides useful insights for health workers, governments, and NGOs.
Results: Studies show that health informatics implementation in sub-Saharan Africa is still far behind where it should be. This analysis uncovers challenges in the deployment of health informatics into the health sector. It identifies infrastructure as well as other limitations and how they can be overcome to help enable the realization of quality healthcare in the region. This will improve the quality of healthcare information, helping to facilitate effective healthcare delivery. Documenting the insufficient current status of healthcare informatics in the health sectors of SSA countries’ health systems helps to highlight the potential contribution that informatics can make to health care in the region.
Conclusion: The findings help provide a baseline of current knowledge to support efforts to implement health informatics in sub-Saharan Africa.