Republic of Zambia - Digital Health Strategy 2022-2026¶

As set out in the National Development Plan, Zambia aims to become a prosperous, middle-income
country by 2030. Human capital development, and the delivery of health care is essential to achieving that
ambition. Zambia’s National Health Strategy has clearly articulated the ambition to meet SDG 2030 Goal
3.8 (achieving Universal Health Coverage), and digital health will be essential to meet that life-changing
target. Globally, health systems are changing at an unprecedented rate. COVID-19 and the world-wide
disruption it caused have been a catalyst for this change, giving added momentum to the health industry’s
accelerated adoption of virtual care and transformation towards intelligent, digitally enhanced care
systems. What began as a necessary shift towards remote care has driven a longer-term change to
adopt smarter health approaches. In response to the pandemic, a deep vein of virtual care and telemedicine has arisen, underlining the role of digital technologies in building more intelligent health systems.

Across the globe, countries are exploring which frameworks will best manage this change and how they
can leverage digital strategies across government to benefit health systems delivery. This strategy will
answer these questions - driven by the Zambian context - ensuring that over the next five years digital
health delivers on the bold goals set out in the National Health Strategy. Aligned to the World Health
Organisation’s (WHO) 7-pillar framework, the digital health strategy sets out a comprehensive approach
that considers the leadership and governance of digital health, investment and sustainability, workforce
for digital health, legislation policy & compliance, standards & interoperability, national infrastructure and
the application and services that are fundamental to the transformation of healthcare delivery in Zambia.

The Ministry of Health recognises that strengthening the country’s health system is a long-term evolutionary
process. Technology can make the health system more efficient, delivering high-value, high-quality care at
a reasonable cost, and support continual improvements in care, through knowledge generation, enabling
the development of a learning health system. But technology adoption for health care remains complex,
and determining which innovations will provide the most cost-effective, patient-centred, quality care is
multi-faceted. This strategy is therefore guided by a single vision, providing a clear articulation, around
which all actors across the sector can coalesce:

“Improving health outcomes for all Zambians through a sustainable, secure and innovative digital
ecosystem that is seamless in its operation"

The 2017-2021 strategy focused on service delivery, research, e-learning and governance, and laid strong
foundations on which the initiatives set out in this strategy will build. Key successes of 2017-2021 will be fully
leveraged to drive forward Zambia’s digital health journey. Ensuring the country builds off the outcomes
of the last five years, will enable the successful delivery of this strategy, and the much-needed healthcare
transformation across Zambia.

https://www.moh.gov.zm/?wpfb_dl=144

SEE DIGITAL STRATEGY FINAL BELOW