AFRICA – The Governments of Rwanda and Senegal have begun issuing vaccination certificates for COVID-19 using the SMART Health Card standard that is a simpler, lower-cost alternative to traditional institution-to-institution health data exchange models.
The governments begun the dissemination of SMART Health Cards to help citizens have digital access to their health data, carry it with them and use it to inform the health care services they receive at a time when the growth in mobile internet use in the two countries correlates with a rise in smartphone usage.
The person-centered digital solution dubbed SMART Health Cards involves secure, digitally-verifiable QR codes containing an individual’s health information that can be carried on paper or smartphone apps and sent via email.
The SMART Health Card standard was initially developed for COVID-19 vaccination records and lab results and is now being extended to provide individuals with additional health data such as routine immunization records, lab results, health insurance information and prescriptions.
During the launch event, the Minister of Health for Rwanda Dr. Daniel Ngamije revealed that Rwanda would leverage the digital innovation involving SMART Health Cards to its fullest in line with the country’s universal health coverage objectives.
We are working to support health organizations across Africa to provide their patients with access to their health data using open standards, and to use data from their patients to inform the care and services they provide.
The Digital health innovation launched in Senegal and Rwanda will help expand access, increase quality and reduce the cost of health services as well as significantly contribute to a stronger and more efficient health care system in Africa.
In addition, the SMART Health Cards will empower individuals to access their health information using open standards and use it to inform the health services they receive while healthcare providers can use data from their patients to inform the care and services they provide.”
The Coordinator of the Health Map and Digital Health at the Ministry of Health Senegal Dr. Ibrahima Khaliloulah DIA observed that good health requires good data, adding that Senegal is working to empower citizens with access to their health records using open standards.
At the same time , officials from the Governments of Rwanda and Senegal, the East African Community, Africa CDC, Smart Africa, the Tony Blair Institute, The Commons Project and the Mastercard Foundation are working together to plan the implementation of the ‘Health My Way’ initiative to support the scale-up of the person-centered digital health model across Africa.
Earlier, the African Union (AU) launched two key flagship initiatives namely the African Vaccine Passport and eHealth backbone and a digital platform for accelerating the implementation of the AfCFTA Hub digital trading ecosystem.
AU reassured that the African Vaccine Passport allows every African Union citizen to acquire a free digital proof of their vaccinations that can be verified around the world utilizing the PanaBIOS and UNDP-backed Global Haven mechanisms.
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