Nairobi, Aug. 26 -- Healthcare leadership in Africa faces a defining test: whether the data already generated across hospitals, insurers, laboratories, pharmacies and public health programmes can be turned into better decisions for patients.

Every consultation, claim, prescription and referral tells part of the healthcare story, but too often that information remains trapped in separate systems. When leaders cannot see the full picture, resources are wasted, accountability weakens and patient care suffers.

The challenge is urgent. Africa is home to about 16 percent of the world's population and carries 23 percent of the global disease burden, yet accounts for only 1 percent of global health expenditure, according to Africa CDC.

The Wor...