Zambia has consolidated more than 12 million patient records into its flagship SmartCare Pro initiative, creating a foundation for an artificial intelligence (AI) ready healthcare system.
Since the inception of the web-based platform in 2023, over 2 000 health facilities have been connected to the system. More than 14 000 health workers have been trained on the platform, with a 92% knowledge retention rate, according to government officials.
No country can build an intelligent health system on disconnected data, said Percy Chinyama, national co-ordinator of the Smart Zambia Institute.
Chinyama provided the update at the digital and Intelligent Health Forum of the World Internet Conference (WIC) in Hong Kong.
He outlined four lessons for developing nations: data architecture precedes analytics; government ownership changes sustainability; human capacity determines impact; and equity must be the point, not the constraint.
"The foundation is built," Mr Chinyama said. "The question is whether we are willing to do the unglamorous work that makes intelligent health systems possible. For Zambia, the answer is unmistakably yes."
Before the implementation of SmartCare Pro, more than 1 600 health facilities operated two separate legacy systems that could not communicate. Through the modern platform, Zambia has adopted an approach that allows for the use of advanced analytics and AI, he said.
Smart Zambia, a division under the President’s Office, is mandated to co-ordinate and implement electronic government.
The SmartCare Pro initiative is the latest iteration of the country's electronic health records strategy, which aims to provide integrated care across all provinces.
The WIC drew over 1 000 delegates from 54 countries
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