Even in the world’s most advanced healthcare systems, streamlining the flow of health data is a massive challenge, complicated by legacy systems and a lack of interoperability. In the developing world, the problem is considerably more acute.

By most estimates, more than 70% of healthcare information in the developing world is still kept on paper. That means data doesn’t get shared between doctors, harmful tests get needlessly duplicated and patient data is less secure. It can even lead to an increase in death.

In Low-Medium-Income-Countries, 1 in 10 hospitalisations results in an adverse event — or a medical error that causes harm — and three percent of these errors cause the patient’s death. Research has shown that half of documented adverse event cases could have been solved or avoided by having a readily available medical record that proactively supported clinical decision making.

14.2 million Africans (Sub-Saharans) are pushed into poverty due to health expenditures. Globally, 100 million people. About 30% of people in Africa have to borrow money or sell their assets to pay for health care. Private medical insurance penetration rate in Africa average 1.76%.