Journal of Health Informatics in Africa
type: channel
description: Journal of Health Informatics in Africa (J Health Inform Afr) is an official journal of the Pan African Health Informatics Association (HELINA) published by Koegni-eHealth Innovation for Development
publisher: Koegni-eHealth
language: fr-CA
publication name: Journal of Health Informatics in Africa
issn: 2197-6902
items: Influence of Demographic Characteristics on Health Workers’ Acceptance of Biometric-Controlled Health Informatics Systems: Evidence from Selected Regional Referral Public Hospitals in Uganda
items: A Context-Aware Information Systems Architecture for Sustainable E-Health Implementation in the Democratic Republic of Congo
items: The User Experience of an Electronic Medical Record: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Public Health Sector of the Western Cape, South Africa
items: Editorial
items: Data Precision and Timeliness of Paper versus Software-Assisted Nursing Documentation: A Rapid Review and Meta-Analysis
items: User Engagement with Mobile Health Applications for Self-management of Diabetes: A Principal Component Analysis Approach
items: Rapid Retinopathy Detection using Ablation-Guided Deep Learning
items: A Tree-based Machine Learning Approach for Precise Renal Cell Carcinoma Subtyping using RNA-seq Gene Expression Data
items: Trust And Access in Telemedicine - A Review
items: Patient Perspectives on mHealth for Maternal and Pre-maternal Health Services in Resource-Constrained Settings
items: Accuracy of Cause-of-Death Classification in Ghana: Evidence from the 2023 District Health Information Management System (DHIMS) II
items: Health Information Technology Governance: A Scoping Review of Literature
items: Mise en œuvre de la blockchain pour les secteurs de la santé dans les pays à revenu faible et intermédiaire : cas d'utilisation, approches et défis
items: Compliance with Interoperability Standards in Implementing Digital Health in Low and Middle-Income Countries
items: Perceptions of Primary Healthcare Practitioners on the Effectiveness of Electronic Health Records Systems for Decision Support in Tanzania
items: Maternal Healthcare Access and Maternal Electronic Service Delivery in Resource-Constrained Environments: A Systematic Literature Review on Frameworks, Approaches, and Insights
items: Exploring Digital Health Innovations Across Africa: Challenges, Opportunities and the Way Forward
items: Systematic review of the Absorptive Capacity Theory and its’ application to mHealth Technologies for Adverse Drug Reaction reporting in Uganda
items: Predicting Malaria Outbreaks in Children Under Five: Insights from Ghana
items: Smart Medical System for Trusted LoRaWAN Server
items: Community-Based Health Information System Governance Structural Mechanism: Its Role in Attaining the Alignment and Improving the Community Health Outcomes
items: Improving Cancer Data Availability Within Routine Reporting Systems in a Low-Income Setting: A Case of Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, Uganda
items: Editorial to the HELINA 2023 Proceedings
items: DÉVELOPPEMENT D’UN LOGICIEL POUR INTERPRÉTER L’ENREGISTREMENT DU RYTHME CARDIAQUE FŒTAL : « 2ARCF SYSTEME »

Influence of Demographic Characteristics on Health Workers’ Acceptance of Biometric-Controlled Health Informatics Systems: Evidence from Selected Regional Referral Public Hospitals in Uganda
type: item
description: Background and Purpose: The integration of biometric technology into health informatics promises enhanced security and efficiency but its success depends on end-user acceptance. While demographic factors are known to influence technology adoption, their specific impact on health workers' acceptance of Biometric Controlled Health Informatics (BCHI) in low-resource settings remains underexplored. This study investigated the influence of key demographic variables of age, gender, education level, and professional experience on the acceptance of BCHI among health workers in Ugandan public hospitals, using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as a theoretical framework. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted with 244 clinical and non-clinical health workers from two regional referral hospitals. Data were collected via a structured, self-administered questionnaire measuring core TAM constructs: Attitude, Actual Usage, Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, and Behavioral Intention. Reliability was confirmed (Cronbach’s α 0.885-0.920). Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to assess the unique predictive power of demographic factors on each construct. Results: Gender and education level were significant predictors of BCHI acceptance, while age and years of experience were not. Male health workers reported significantly less favorable attitudes, lower perceived usefulness and ease of use, and reduced actual usage compared to females. Education showed a complex relationship: health workers with Certificate/Diploma qualifications demonstrated the highest acceptance across most constructs, whereas those with Bachelor’s degrees consistently showed comparatively lower acceptance, particularly for perceived ease of use. Conclusions: Acceptance of BCHI is not uniform but is significantly patterned by gender and educational background. Implementation strategies must therefore be differentiated. Tailored communication and training are needed …
subject: Article de Recherche
  topic: section
creator: Jude Iyke Nicholars
creator: Marios Kantaris
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2026
date: 2026-04-12
publication date: 2026-04-12
starting page: 66
ending page: 77
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2026-v13-i1-652

A Context-Aware Information Systems Architecture for Sustainable E-Health Implementation in the Democratic Republic of Congo
type: item
description: Background and Purpose: The digital transformation of healthcare systems through e-health technologies has become a strategic priority for improving healthcare accessibility, efficiency, and quality, particularly in developing countries. However, successful implementation requires not only user adoption but also robust, interoperable, and secure information systems architectures adapted to local contexts. This study aims to propose a context-aware information systems architecture to support sustainable e-health implementation in the healthcare sector of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where infrastructural constraints and institutional challenges remain significant barriers Methods: The study builds upon an empirically validated e-health adoption model derived from integrated Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) constructs. Key technological, organizational, and institutional requirements were identified and translated into architectural design specifications. A layered architecture approach was adopted, incorporating interoperability standards, data security mechanisms, privacy protection, and modular components to ensure compatibility with existing health information systems and adaptability to resource-constrained environments. Results: The proposed architecture comprises five interrelated layers: infrastructure, application, data management, interoperability, and security governance. The framework addresses contextual challenges such as limited ICT infrastructure, intermittent connectivity, and varying levels of digital literacy among healthcare professionals. It supports essential digital health services, including electronic health records, telemedicine, health information exchange, and mobile health applications. The architecture demonstrates scalability, flexibility, and resilience, enabling phased implementation and long-term sustainability.. Conclusions: By aligning technological design wi…
subject: Article de Recherche
  topic: section
creator: Kalema Josue
creator: Vincent Havyarimana
creator: Businge Pheliix
creator: Julius Niyongabo
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2026
date: 2026-04-12
publication date: 2026-04-12
starting page: 78
ending page: 95
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2026-v13-i1-669

The User Experience of an Electronic Medical Record: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Public Health Sector of the Western Cape, South Africa
type: item
description: Background and Purpose: The Electronic Continuity of Care Record (eCCR) is a web-based Electronic Medical Record commissioned and implemented by the Western Cape Government Health and Wellness department in 2015 for all 53 public hospitals in the province to capture medical records of patients. While there has been previous research into the quality of clinical coding capture within the eCCR, there has not yet been a formal evaluation of end users’ experience (UX) of the application. This study is the first to formally evaluate the user experience of an eHealth application in the public sector in the Western Cape. This study evaluated the user experience of the eCCR end users in terms of its attractiveness, pragmatic qualities (efficiency, perspicuity, dependability) and hedonic qualities (stimulation, novelty), describes the characteristics of end users and explores associations between user characteristics and the UX of eCCR. Methods: A validated UX Questionnaire survey was made available online to evaluate the eCCR user experience. An invitation and link to the survey was added on the eCCR landing webpage specifically to target users of the application. Response data were collected over three months from June to August 2023 using 26 UEQ questions that comprised Lickert-type scales of 1-7 to rate experience. The mean was determined for each scale. Mean scale values > 0,80 represented a positive experience. Values between -0.80 and 0.80 represented neutral experience while values < -0,80 represented a negative experience. Results: There were 201 participants in this study. The question (item) response means were combined per scale: attractiveness=0.87, perspicuity=1.32, dependability=0.88, stimulation=0.76, efficiency and novelty reported low means of 0.55 and 0.30 respectively. Conclusion: The User Experience UX evaluation indicated that the eCCR was an easy-to-learn and understandable web-based application, the end users reported it was valuable, secure, enjoyabl…
subject: Article de Recherche
  topic: section
creator: Sinenhlanhla Gumede
creator: Robin Dyers
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2024
date: 2024-08-23
publication date: 2024-08-23
starting page: 1
ending page: 16
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2024-v11-i2-491

Editorial
type: item
description: The Journal of Health Informatics in Africa is the official journal of the Pan African Health Informatics Association (HELINA) and publishes the proceedings of the HELINA conferences, as well as open-call issues. This issue is an open-call issue comprising of seven double blind peer reviewed papers submitted directly to the journal. Papers written in French are also published by the journal, and this issue includes one French paper. The year 2023 celebrates the 10th year since the first publication of a JHIA issue and as we celebrate this milestone we are continuously working on improving the quality of the journal. This issue includes the following papers: The paper by Osembe, Adebesin, and Smuts utilise thematic analysis to examine themes around the opportunities for digital innovation in healthcare. Author Nyarko recommends strategies to promote artificial intelligence adoption in healthcare decision-making among Ghanaian tertiary students. In the paper by Mohsam an analysis of nurses’ lived experience with digital health technologies in practice is shared. Key competencies for different levels of study and design considerations for a Health Informatics course are identified by authors Bhebe, De La Harpe, Kaura, and Kabaso. Author Awami evaluates users’ acceptance of a computer-based health information system at Benghazi diabetes centre. The paper by Abotsi, Agbemafleb, and Ayimeyc highlights positive outcomes and challenges associated with electronic health records systems at a Ghanaian hospital. The French paper by authors Randimbison, Rainibarijaona, Rajaonarison, and Rabenja highlights the impacts of a low-cost software for automated interpretation of fetal heart rate developed for the use in remote areas in low-income countries such as Madagascar. I would like to extend a very special thank you to the editorial team, authors, and peer-reviewers that made this issue possible. Nicky Mostert March 2024
subject: Editorial
  topic: section
creator: Nicky Mostert
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2024
date: 2024-03-18
publication date: 2024-03-18
starting page: iv
ending page: iv

Data Precision and Timeliness of Paper versus Software-Assisted Nursing Documentation: A Rapid Review and Meta-Analysis
type: item
description: Background and Purpose: The nursing industry has progressively transitioned from paper-assisted documentation practices to software-assisted systems. Such a transition raises debates about its implications on the timeliness and precision of documented nursing data. This rapid review and meta-analysis examined existing literature on the effect of paper and software-assisted documentation systems on documentation precision and timeliness. Methods: Utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, this review and meta-analysis examined studies published in the past 50 years (1973 to 2023) and available in PubMed electronic database. The search methodology combined free-text search terms with Boolean operators for a more precise and sensitive search. Results: The review and meta-analysis selected 15 studies from a pool of 314 articles after applying set inclusion criteria. The synthesis of evidence revealed that Software-assisted nursing documentation systems enhanced by twofold the precision of documented nursing data (Overall random effect Odds Ratio: 2.35, 95% CI: 1.32-4.17; p = < 0.010). Software-assisted nursing documentation systems reduced time spent on nursing documentation by nine minutes but was not significant (Overall random effects mean difference = 9.14 minutes; p = 0.330). Conclusions: Software-assisted nursing documentation is valuable for enhancing nursing documentation precision but not timeliness. This study recommends software-assisted nursing documentation systems for improving the precision of nursing documentation.
subject: Article de Recherche
  topic: section
creator: Chinemerem Eleke
creator: Ada Nwaneri
creator: Ijeoma Okoronkwo
creator: Joy Samuel
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2024
date: 2024-12-27
publication date: 2024-12-27
starting page: 19
ending page: 27
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2024-v11-i3-505

User Engagement with Mobile Health Applications for Self-management of Diabetes: A Principal Component Analysis Approach
type: item
description: Background and Purpose: Diabetes is a non-communicable disease that can arise from a genetic predisposition or develop due to the unhealthy lifestyle of an individual. mHealth applications (apps) can potentially revolutionise diabetes management by empowering people diagnosed with diabetes to take better control of their condition and promoting effective self-management. User engagement and sustained usage are critical determinants of mHealth apps’ success. While user engagement has been studied, detailed guidelines for developing applications that meet engagement requirements are limited. This study reported in this paper investigated the applicability of the User Engagement Scale (UES) in evaluating user engagement with a mHealth app for diabetes self-management. Methods: A 30-item UES questionnaire was distributed through Diabetes South Africa (DSA), a non-governmental organization that supports and advocates for people living with diabetes in South Africa. Participants, who are either diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, rated their agreement with each statement in the UES using a 5-point Likert scale. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was conducted on 55 responses to evaluate the UES’s dimensionality. Results: PCA suitability was confirmed by the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure of 0.650 and a significant Bartlett’s test of sphericity, χ2(435) = 1124.16, p < 0.001. A new factor, Incentive, emerged by combining Aesthetic Appeal and Reward, which impacted user engagement. Additionally, Focused Attention and Perceived Usability were identified as significant predictors of user engagement. A revised 25-item scale was produced after five items were removed due to low factor loadings. Conclusions: This study validated the UES in a mHealth app context among South African participants, suggesting that the three-factor, 25-item solution is effective in evaluating user engagement in mHealth application settings.
subject: Article de Recherche
  topic: section
creator: Devendran Kanny
creator: Funmi Adebesin
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2026
date: 2026-01-12
publication date: 2026-01-12
starting page: 17
ending page: 31
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2025-v12-i2-543

Rapid Retinopathy Detection using Ablation-Guided Deep Learning
type: item
description: Retinal fundus images have the challenge of differentiating the stages of diabetic retinopathy, often causing confusion between proliferative retinopathy to severe retinopathy or no retinopathy to mild retinopathy. Without developing complex technologies, human accuracy differed across image datasets. By using a deep learning CNN as the feature extractor and machine learning classifiers, this study achieved a remarkable accuracy of 91%. The ablation study utilised VGG16, Resnet152V2, and Xception as feature extractors together with Random Forests and K-Nearest Neighbour (KNN) classifiers. The best performance was achieved with Xception as the feature extractor and as the classifier Random Forest.
subject: Article de Recherche
  topic: section
creator: Mohammad Sharifur Rahman
creator: Khondoker Shaila Sharmin
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2026
date: 2026-02-28
publication date: 2026-02-28
starting page: 17
ending page: 31
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2026-v13-i1-615

A Tree-based Machine Learning Approach for Precise Renal Cell Carcinoma Subtyping using RNA-seq Gene Expression Data
type: item
description: Background and Purpose: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a malignant neoplasm of the kidneys, characterized by distinct molecular and histological subtypes. Accurate subtyping is crucial for personalized treatment and improved patient outcomes. High-throughput sequencing has enabled precise gene expression profiling for cancer classification. This study compares tree-based and non-tree-based machine learning algorithms for differentiating between gene expression profiles of chromophobe, clear cell, and papillary RCCs. Methods: RNA-seq data from a diverse cohort of patients diagnosed with these three cancer subtypes was used. Data preprocessing and normalization were performed, followed by feature selection using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Tree-based and non-tree-based algorithms were trained on the preprocessed data. The tree-based algorithms included decision tree, random forest, extra trees classifier, and bagging classifier. The non-tree-based algorithms included logistic regression, support vector machine, and naive bayes. Each algorithm was evaluated using sensitivity, specificity, F1 score, and AUC. Results: Tree-based algorithms demonstrated superior performance across all evaluation metrics compared to non-tree-based algorithms. Specifically, the random forest classifier achieved the highest specificity and F1 score, the decision tree classifier achieved the highest sensitivity, while the bagging classifier achieved the highest AUC score. In contrast, non-tree-based algorithms showed comparatively lower performance in distinguishing between the cancer subtypes. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the potential of machine learning, particularly tree-based models, for precise RCC subtyping. By leveraging tree-based models, we can effectively capture the complex, non-linear patterns in gene expression datasets. Future studies should aim to validate these findings across larger and more diverse datasets of RCC subtypes.
subject: Article de Recherche
  topic: section
creator: Oluwafemi Ogundare
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2025
date: 2025-06-17
publication date: 2025-06-17
starting page: 39
ending page: 52
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2025-v12-i1-533

Trust And Access in Telemedicine - A Review
type: item
description: Background and Purpose: Telemedicine has the potential to revolutionise healthcare delivery, especially in digitally marginalised populations; however, persistent challenges in access and trust limit its widespread adoption. Despite technological advancements, there remains a significant gap in understanding how these factors jointly influence telemedicine uptake in low- and middle-income contexts. Methods: This study employed a systematic literature review guided by the PRISMA framework, analysing 32 peer-reviewed studies published between 2018 and 2025 that address access and trust in telemedicine. Results: Telemedicine interventions yielded notable access gains in underserved settings, with rural reach improving by 40–75% across multiple studies. Trust outcomes, however, were less consistent, with confidence levels ranging from 44–71% and often constrained by privacy concerns, provider scepticism, and technological reliability Conclusions: This research contributes a comprehensive synthesis of empirical evidence highlighting the critical interplay between access and trust, providing actionable insights for designing user-centred, secure telemedicine systems. By addressing this dual gap, the study offers a foundation for future technological innovation and policy development aimed at equitable healthcare delivery in underserved populations.
subject: Article de Recherche
  topic: section
creator: Alton Mabina
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2026
date: 2026-01-12
publication date: 2026-01-12
starting page: 32
ending page: 46
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2025-v12-i2-599

Editorial
type: item
description: Editorial to JHIA Vol. 12 (2025) Issue 2 Nicky Mostert Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa The Journal of Health Informatics in Africa (JHIA) continues to provide a scholarly platform for research that advances the design, implementation, governance, and evaluation of health information systems within African and comparable low- and middle-income country contexts. Volume 12, Issue 2 reflects the journal’s sustained focus on digital health adoption, health information system governance, data quality, and evidence-based decision-making, with contributions spanning empirical studies, methodological validation, governance frameworks, and systematic reviews. Collectively, the papers in this issue highlight both the transformative potential of digital health technologies and the structural, social, and data-quality challenges that continue to shape their impact. Several contributions underscore the importance of moving beyond technical implementation toward user engagement, trust, governance, and data integrity as foundational elements of sustainable digital health systems. Research by Kanny and Adebesin explores user engagement with mobile health applications for diabetes self-management within a South African context. Using a quantitative design, the study applies principal component analysis to validate the User Engagement Scale (UES) in a local mHealth setting. The findings confirm the multidimensional nature of user engagement, encompassing factors such as focused attention, perceived usability, and aesthetic appeal. The paper contributes methodologically by demonstrating the contextual applicability of an established engagement scale and substantively by reinforcing the role of user-centred design in promoting sustained mHealth use for chronic disease management. Focusing on governance at the community level, Chumba et al. examine structural mechanisms within a community-based health information system (CBHIS) using a mixed-methods approach. The study …
subject: Editorial
  topic: section
creator: Nicky Mostert
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2026
date: 2026-01-12
publication date: 2026-01-12
starting page: iv
ending page: v
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2025-v12-i2-639

Patient Perspectives on mHealth for Maternal and Pre-maternal Health Services in Resource-Constrained Settings
type: item
description: Background and Purpose: With the rapid evolution of computing trends and the growing use of technology in the healthcare sector, maternal healthcare delivery and accessibility require a transformative shift. However, studies indicate that the integration of technology into maternal service delivery remains slow. This is largely due to the absence of comprehensive frameworks that support diverse access to maternal electronic services (e-services), as existing scholarly work has mainly focused on maternal information provision. While such information provision has been valuable in enabling pregnant and new mothers to access appropriate educational content from accredited healthcare workers, it is predominantly delivered through text-based SMS, reflecting limited use of multimedia and mobile capabilities. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the requirements for developing an improved and comprehensive framework for maternal e-service delivery from patients’ perspectives. Methods: This study has been conducted following the user-centred design (UCD) approach, where both pregnant and new mothers were engaged in the requirement-gathering process by responding to a questionnaire tool to understand what should be considered while developing an improved framework to comprehensively support the delivery of maternal e-services in this era, where technology is seen as a source of solutions to various aspects. The requirements centred on four themes: 1) demographic information of the participants, 2) awareness of maternal e-services, 3) assessment of the utilization of maternal e-services relative to maternal health challenges, and 4) security and privacy of data in technologically supported applications. Results: As a result, this paper reveals a set of requirements identified as potential for developing a mobile health framework to improve access to maternal healthcare through the digitized delivery of maternal services, based on patient (pregnant and new m…
subject: Article de Recherche
  topic: section
creator: Jimmy Ssegujja
creator: Simon Samwel Msanjila
creator: Deo Shao
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2026
date: 2026-02-28
publication date: 2026-02-28
starting page: 52
ending page: 65
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2026-v13-i1-526

Editorial
type: item
description: On 22 and 23 November, the Burundi Health Informatics Association organized the 2022 HELINA Special Topic Conference “SNCSU 2022, Digital Health Paving the Way to Universal Health Coverage” at the Royal Palace hotel in Bujumbura, focusing on the role of digital health in achieving universal health coverage (UHC) in low-income settings. The main objective of this conference was to share and capitalize on field experiences with digital tools for implementation of UHC in Sub-Saharan Africa. The conference brought together 254 participants from 13 different African countries and 48 of them attended the pre-conference workshops on “Smart glasses and telemedicine for bridging the clinical competence gaps” and “Evaluating digital health project risks and opportunities using social network analysis”. The main conference started with an overview of different national e-health strategies in African countries presented by health experts and authorities from Burundi, DRC, Mali, Senegal, Guinea, Tanzania and Benin. On the first day, parallel sessions hosted presentations on (i) Data warehousing, monitoring and evaluation, (ii) Ontologies and nomenclatures and (iii) Telemedicine. The second day of the conference 3 sessions ran in parallel with contributions on (i) Hospital information management systems, (ii) Clinical decision support, (iii) Education and training in digital health, (iv) E-health enterprise architectures, (v ) demonstrations of real-world UHC solutions and finally (vi) a track with a series of presentations in English (because the main language of the conference was French). A particularly interesting keynote was addressed by the representative of the UNDP project on mental health in Mali (SANDI), more specifically on the use of telemedicine for assisting with mental health issues in remote and security constrained areas. The scientific program of the conference was in the hands of the Institute of Public Health of Burundi and the Digital Health Campus of Lubumba…
subject: Editorial
  topic: section
creator: Frank Verbeke
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2024
date: 2024-08-06
publication date: 2024-08-06
starting page: iv
ending page: iv
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2023-v10-i1-519

Accuracy of Cause-of-Death Classification in Ghana: Evidence from the 2023 District Health Information Management System (DHIMS) II
type: item
description: Abstract Background and Purpose: Accurate and reliable cause-of-death (COD) data are crucial for informing public health policy, tracking epidemiological trends, and allocating health resources effectively. In Ghana, institutional mortality data captured through the District Health Information Management System (DHIMS) II provide critical insights into disease burden and health system performance. However, the use of these data is limited by inconsistencies in medical certification, coding practices, and data completeness. This study aims to identify the leading causes of institutional deaths in Ghana in 2023 and assess the quality of ICD-11 coding. The findings are expected to help strengthen cause-of-death reporting systems and improve the accuracy of health data in Ghana. Methods: The study analysed the 2023 mortality data recorded in the DHIMS II, covering 30,397 institutional deaths after excluding records with missing age data. The dataset was cleaned, retaining cases with estimated ages to preserve demographic patterns. The ANACOD3 tool was used to assess the completeness, specificity, and quality of causes of the data, with a focus on identifying garbage codes and misclassified entries. Ethical approval was obtained from the Ghana Health Service. Results: Non-communicable diseases accounted for 57.4% of institutional deaths, followed by communicable conditions (36.6%) and injuries (3.8%). Gender-specific patterns revealed differences in the leading causes of death. The quality assessment showed a high frequency of ill-defined underlying causes and invalid ICD-11 codes, with over 30% of the records classified as garbage codes, and incomplete records were also prevalent. Conclusion: Significant gaps in COD data quality compromise its utility for health planning in Ghana. Addressing deficiencies in certification, coder training, and diagnostic infrastructure is crucial for improving mortality data accuracy and supporting evidence-based health interventions. Key…
subject: Article de Recherche
  topic: section
creator: Basil Tungbani
creator: Mosidi Sarah Nhlapo
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2026
date: 2026-01-12
publication date: 2026-01-12
starting page: 69
ending page: 82
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2025-v12-i2-613

Health Information Technology Governance: A Scoping Review of Literature
type: item
description: Abstract Purpose – This scoping review aimed to map the existing literature on Health Information Technology (HIT) Governance. Design/methodology/approach – Existing literature on this topic charts the nature and content by summarising existing evidence on HIT governance. Searches were conducted in PubMed and ScienceDirect databases for literature published between 1st January 2000 and 31st December 2023. Findings – A total of twenty-five (25) articles met the criteria and are included in this review. The findings indicate that HIT governance is operationalised through governance mechanisms and context-specific practices. In addition, HIT governance has mainly been for the systems functional at the hospital and national levels of healthcare, as well as systems that facilitate health information exchange, data governance, and health information governance. Governance of HIT systems functional at the community healthcare level has received little research attention. Furthermore, the alignment aspect is not addressed in the reviewed literature but is an essential aspect of HIT governance. Research limitations - A significant constraint of this scoping review is the limited scope of literature searches conducted exclusively on PubMed and ScienceDirect. Practical implications – This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of HIT governance in HIT implementation and use. Originality/value – This study covers HIT governance, addressing the need to investigate how HIT governance is achieved for different HIT integrations and applications and shape further research agenda. Keywords – Health Information Technology, Health Information Systems, Governance
subject: Article de Recherche
  topic: section
creator: Hosea Kipkemboi Chumba
creator: Timothy Waema
creator: Daniel Orwa Ochieng Ochieng
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2025
date: 2025-06-17
publication date: 2025-06-17
starting page: 1
ending page: 19
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2025-v12-i1-509

Editorial
type: item
description: The Journal of Health Informatics in Africa (JHIA) is dedicated to publishing innovative, high-quality research that explores the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to address healthcare challenges in Africa. To maintain the journal’s integrity and commitment to originality, all submissions undergo a meticulous screening process. As part of this process, a Turnitin report is generated for each manuscript before it is assigned to reviewers. Only submissions with a Turnitin similarity index below 15% are considered for review. Manuscripts exceeding this threshold are promptly rejected. We urge authors to ensure their work is both original and unpublished prior to submission. Once a manuscript qualifies for review, it is subjected to a rigorous double-blind peer review process. This review determines whether the submission will be accepted, revised, or rejected. For manuscripts that are accepted, a second round of peer review is often required. Authors must carefully address the reviewers’ feedback and resubmit their revised manuscript for further evaluation. Final acceptance is granted only when both the reviewers and the editorial team are fully satisfied with the revisions, ensuring the publication of work that meets the highest scholarly standards. This issue features six insightful papers: Chumba, Waema, and Ochieng conducted a scoping review of 29 studies on Health Information Technology governance, highlighting its mechanisms, applications in hospital and national healthcare systems, and identifying gaps in community-level governance and alignment practices. Ssegujja, Msanjila, and Shao conducted a systematic literature review to evaluate frameworks for maternal e-service delivery in resource-constrained settings, highlighting limitations in current approaches, such as reliance on traditional methods, and proposing a conceptual framework to enhance maternal healthcare through technology-driven solutions. Ogundare demonstrated that tree-base…
subject: Editorial
  topic: section
creator: Nicky Mostert
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2025
date: 2025-06-17
publication date: 2025-06-17
starting page: iv
ending page: iv

Mise en œuvre de la blockchain pour les secteurs de la santé dans les pays à revenu faible et intermédiaire : cas d'utilisation, approches et défis
type: item
description: Contexte et objectif : Malgré sa complexité et ses contraintes de ressources, le secteur de la santé dans les pays à revenu faible et intermédiaire (PRFI) est confronté à un défi crucial consistant à garantir l'intégrité, l'interopérabilité et la transparence des données. La technologie Blockchain apparaît comme une solution potentielle, offrant des plateformes sécurisées et immuables pour la gestion des informations de santé. Cette étude examine les cas d'utilisation, les approches et les défis de la mise en œuvre de la blockchain dans les soins de santé des PRFI, en se concentrant sur les services de santé et la gestion à l'échelle du secteur. Méthodes : L'étude a utilisé une méthodologie d'examen systématique suivant les éléments de rapport préférés pour les examens systématiques et les méta-analyses (PRISMA) afin de garantir la transparence et la reproductibilité du processus d'examen. Résultats : Les résultats montrent que même si un certain nombre de pays PRFI se sont lancés dans la mise en œuvre d'applications basées sur la blockchain, la plupart des projets restent des propositions ou des expériences. L'étude a révélé que 26 (82 %) projets ont bénéficié d'une certaine forme de mise en œuvre. Parmi ceux-ci, 11 (42 %) étaient des simulations, 2 (8 %) ont évolué vers des prototypes fonctionnels et seulement 3 (12 %) ont abouti à des déploiements à part entière. Le cas d'utilisation le plus mis en œuvre était celui des systèmes de dossiers de santé électroniques (DSE), qui représentaient environ 23 % de toutes les mises en œuvre, suivis par la surveillance à distance des patients (15 %). Conclusions : La plupart des initiatives blockchain dans le secteur de la santé dans les PRFI en sont encore au stade de simulation et de prototype. On constate également une faible conversion des projets de cette étape préliminaire en solutions à part entière. Pour relever ce défi, davantage de programmes de préparation, à la fois techniques et administratifs, sont nécessaires …
subject: Article de Recherche
  topic: section
creator: Anthony Kigombola
creator: Masoud Mahundi
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2024
date: 2024-12-27
publication date: 2024-12-27
starting page: 28
ending page: 40
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2024-v11-i3-511

Compliance with Interoperability Standards in Implementing Digital Health in Low and Middle-Income Countries
type: item
description: Background and Purpose: Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) bear over 70% of global mortality and morbidity due to systemic healthcare challenges. In response, many LMICs have adopted Digital Health (DH) to transform patient management and overall care. However, the transformative potential of DH is constrained by poor interoperability among diverse systems, which undermines effective data sharing and informed decision-making. This study explores the factors that hinder compliance with interoperability standards in DH implementations in LMICs. Methods: A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, with peer-reviewed articles retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect. The search, covering the literature from January 1, 2015, to January 30, 2025, was refined using relevant keywords. Out of 865 screened articles, 38 underwent full-text assessment, and 22 met the quality criteria for analysis. Results: The analysis, structured using the Technology-Organisation-Environment (TOE) framework, identified key barriers. Technological challenges include inadequate IT infrastructure, limited standardisation, fragmented systems, and adaptation difficulties. Organisational barriers involve weak leadership, poor governance, limited technical capacity, and resistance to change. Environmental obstacles include outdated regulations, weak compliance monitoring, data security concerns, and financial constraints. Conclusions: These findings underscore the need for a coordinated, multi-level approach to enhance interoperability compliance in DH, thereby improving healthcare outcomes in LMICs. Targeted interventions are essential to drive sustainable DH implementation in LMICs.
subject: Article de Recherche
  topic: section
creator: Daniel Irongo
creator: Rosemary Foster
creator: Funmi Adebesin
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2026
date: 2026-02-28
publication date: 2026-02-28
starting page: 1
ending page: 16
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2026-v13-i1-563

Perceptions of Primary Healthcare Practitioners on the Effectiveness of Electronic Health Records Systems for Decision Support in Tanzania
type: item
description: Background and Purpose: This study aims to examine the perceptions of primary healthcare practitioners on the effectiveness of Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems in providing decision support in Tanzania. Methods: The study employs a quantitative research approach, utilizing surveys and structured observations to collect data from healthcare practitioners in PHC settings. Descriptive statistical analysis is conducted to assess the functionalities and utilization of EHR systems. Results: The findings reveal that while EHR systems in PHC facilities offer certain benefits, such as facilitating access to patient information and improving administrative processes, there are limitations in their ability to support decision-making tasks effectively. Specific areas for improvement are identified, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to enhance the functionality of EHR systems in PHC settings. Conclusions: This study underscores the importance of addressing the identified limitations in EHR systems to optimize their effectiveness in supporting decision-making tasks in PHC settings in Tanzania. Targeted interventions are essential to enhance EHR functionality and improve healthcare delivery outcomes.
subject: Article de Recherche
  topic: section
creator: Augustino Mwogosi
creator: Stephen Kibusi
creator: Deo Shao
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2024
date: 2024-12-27
publication date: 2024-12-27
starting page: 1
ending page: 18
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2024-v11-i3-493

Maternal Healthcare Access and Maternal Electronic Service Delivery in Resource-Constrained Environments: A Systematic Literature Review on Frameworks, Approaches, and Insights
type: item
description: Ensuring the well-being of mothers and newborns is contingent upon guaranteeing access to maternal health services. However, marginalized communities in Developing Countries (DCs) often face obstacles in accessing these critical services, primarily due to limitations in the strategies and methods used for delivering maternal healthcare. These barriers encompass various challenges, such as geographical remoteness, inadequate infrastructure, and socio-economic disparities. Additionally, the limited availability of trained healthcare professionals and insufficient medical facilities exacerbate the situation. Overcoming these challenges necessitates a comprehensive review of the existing literature to find the best practices for integrating sensitive interventions, community engagement, and innovative technological solutions for the subject under investigation. The study was motivated by the imperative to investigate the integration of maternal healthcare services with e-services and assess the effectiveness and efficiency of existing approaches for accessing maternal e-services. This was driven by a sustained objective of enhancing maternal health service delivery using technologically supported platforms. The study utilized a systematic literature review analysis, adhering to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) model. This rigorous approach ensured comprehensive coverage and transparency in selecting and analyzing relevant studies. The process involved systematically searching online databases using a keyword search technique to capture studies pertinent to maternal healthcare services and maternal e-services delivery. The results of the study highlighted numerous potential e-services for improving maternal healthcare, yet their implementation appears uncertain due to the limited effectiveness of existing approaches, which predominantly rely on traditional methods. While several e-service frameworks exist to guide maternal h…
subject: Article de Recherche
  topic: section
creator: Jimmy Ssegujja
creator: Simon Samwel Msanjila
creator: Deo Shao
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2025
date: 2025-06-17
publication date: 2025-06-17
starting page: 20
ending page: 38
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2025-v12-i1-523

Exploring Digital Health Innovations Across Africa: Challenges, Opportunities and the Way Forward
type: item
description: Objectives: To systematically review the current state, applications, barriers, and outcomes of digital health technologies across Africa, and to identify opportunities for enhancing healthcare delivery through digital innovation. Design: Systematic review following PRISMA guidelines. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, African Journals Online, and Google Scholar databases from 2014-2025. Search terms included "digital health," "mHealth," "telemedicine," "electronic health records," "artificial intelligence," and "Africa." Studies were included if they focused on digital health interventions, implementation, or outcomes in African countries. Results: Sixty-eight studies from 32 African countries were analyzed. Mobile health (mHealth) represented 45% of interventions, telemedicine 28%, electronic health records 18%, and artificial intelligence 9%. Key applications included maternal and child health (34%), infectious disease management (29%), and chronic disease monitoring (21%). Major barriers included inadequate infrastructure (78% of studies), limited digital literacy (65%), and financial constraints (59%). Success factors included stakeholder engagement (82%), appropriate technology selection (76%), and integration with existing systems (71%). Conclusions: Digital health technologies demonstrate significant potential for transforming healthcare delivery across Africa. However, successful implementation requires addressing infrastructure limitations, enhancing digital literacy, ensuring sustainable financing, and developing context-appropriate solutions. Strategic investments in enabling infrastructure and capacity building are essential for realizing the full potential of digital health in Africa.
subject: Article de Recherche
  topic: section
creator: Micheal Abimbola Oladosu
creator: Moses Adondua Abah
creator: Kosiso Patience Ebeledike
creator: Uju Maryanne Onuorah
creator: Sandra Chiamaka Okoye
creator: Kehinde Adebola Adebisi
creator: Olaide Ayokunmi Oladosu
creator: Angel Ojimaojo Ekele
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2026
date: 2026-01-12
publication date: 2026-01-12
starting page: 47
ending page: 68
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2025-v12-i2-612

Systematic review of the Absorptive Capacity Theory and its’ application to mHealth Technologies for Adverse Drug Reaction reporting in Uganda
type: item
description: Background and Purpose: Mobile health (mHealth) technologies have emerged as transformative tools for enhancing healthcare delivery and patient safety worldwide. In Uganda, the rapid expansion of digital infrastructure presents significant opportunities to leverage mobile devices for communication, data collection, and patient management. However, despite these advances, the utilization of mHealth technologies remains low, particularly in the reporting of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs), a critical component of strengthening pharmacovigilance systems. Although prior studies have examined mHealth utilization in domains such as family planning, maternal and child health, infectious disease management, and health education, limited research has systematically investigated their underutilization in ADR reporting. This study addresses this gap by applying the Absorptive Capacity Theory to understand the enablers of effective utilization of mHealth technologies for reporting ADRs in Ugandan Public Healthcare. As such, this systematic review explores how Absorptive Capacity (ACAP) has been defined and conceptualized within the Information Systems (IS) literature, identifies the different levels of analysis of ACAP, examines the key determinants influencing ACAP, and assesses how Absorptive Capacity Theory can serve as a theoretical lens for understanding the enablers of mobile technology utilization for ADR reporting in public healthcare settings. Methods: The review included peer-reviewed English-language studies published between 2010 and 2025 that examined ACAP within IS, IT, mHealth innovations, and ADR reporting. Comprehensive searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, and Google Scholar, following Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) systematic review guidelines. The process involved duplicate removal and documentation through a PRISMA flow diagram. Out of 134 initial records, 25 studies met the inclusion criteria. Results: The findings indicate t…
subject: Article de Recherche
  topic: section
creator: Moses Okalebo
creator: Agnes Wausi Nduku
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2026
date: 2026-02-28
publication date: 2026-02-28
starting page: 32
ending page: 51
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2026-v13-i1-621

Editorial
type: item
description: The Journal of Health Informatics in Africa (JHIA) only publishes original, high quality research papers focusing on the use of information and ICTs in the healthcare sector in Africa. To ensure originality a Turnitin report is obtained for each submission before being assigned to reviewers. Only submissions with a Turnitin similarity index below 15% are accepted for review. Submission with a higher similarity index is immediately rejected. Authors are thus urged to ensure that their submissions are original and that it has not been published elsewhere before submission is made to JHIA. Once a submission is accepted for review it passes through a rigorous double-blind review process that either results in a rejection or acceptance. Most submissions that are accepted are subject to a second round of review. Authors are tasked to revise the paper based on the reviewer feedback and re-submit it for a second round of review by the same reviewers. Only once the reviewers and editorial team are satisfied with the revisions are the paper then formally accepted for publication. To attest to the rigorous review process this issue comprises of only two papers: Gumede and Dyers presents a cross-sectional evaluation of the user experience of an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) in the public health sector of the Western Cape in South Africa. The user experience of the EMR is evaluated in terms of it’s pragmatic- and hedonic qualities. Mutunhu, Chipangura, and Singh explores opportunities for quantified-self technology in diabetes self-care through a systematic literature review. Four opportunities namely monitoring, adherence, reduced cost, and data collection and sharing are identified. I would like to extend a very special thank you to the editorial team, authors, and peer-reviewers that made this issue possible. I encourage readers active in health informatics research to make contact with me to become reviewers for JHIA. We rely on the expertise of experienced researchers to …
subject: Editorial
  topic: section
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2024
date: 2024-08-23
publication date: 2024-08-23
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2024-v11-i2-520

Editorial
type: item
description: Editorial to JHIA Vol. 11(2024) Issue 3 Nicky Mostert Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa The Journal of Health Informatics in Africa (JHIA) is committed to publishing original, high-quality research focused on the application of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the African healthcare sector. To uphold the integrity and originality of the journal, each submission undergoes a thorough process that includes obtaining a Turnitin report prior to assignment to reviewers. Submissions are only considered for review if their Turnitin similarity index is below 15%. Any manuscript exceeding this threshold is immediately rejected. We strongly encourage authors to ensure that their work is original and has not been published elsewhere before submission to JHIA. Once a paper is accepted for review, it undergoes a rigorous double-blind review process. This may result in either acceptance or rejection. In cases of acceptance, most submissions are subjected to a second round of peer review. Authors are required to revise their manuscripts based on reviewer feedback and resubmit them for further evaluation by the same reviewers. Only once both the reviewers and the editorial team are satisfied with the revisions is the paper formally accepted for publication. This issue features three insightful papers: Eleke, Nwaneri, Okoronkwo, and Samuel present a comprehensive review comparing paper-based and software-assisted nursing documentation, focusing on data precision and timeliness. Kigombola and Mahundi explore the use cases, approaches, and challenges associated with the implementation of blockchain technology in the healthcare sectors of low- and middle-income countries. Mwogosi, Kibusi, and Shaoa share insights into primary healthcare practitioners' perceptions of the effectiveness of electronic health record systems for decision support in Tanzania. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the editorial team, authors, and peer reviewers…
subject: Editorial
  topic: section
creator: Nicky Mostert
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2024
date: 2024-12-27
publication date: 2024-12-27
starting page: iv
ending page: iv

Predicting Malaria Outbreaks in Children Under Five: Insights from Ghana
type: item
description: Background and Purpose: Malaria, a persistent public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, disproportionately affects children under five, with socio-economic disparities and environmental factors exacerbating its burden. This study seeks to identify patterns that serve as early indicators of potential outbreaks, thus enhancing the country’s ability to allocate resources efficiently and improve early warning systems. Methods: This study employs the Random Forest algorithm to predict malaria outbreaks using historical incidence data from Ghana (2011–2021). Results: By incorporating lagged variables and analyzing spatial and temporal dynamics, the model captures seasonality, including peaks during rainy seasons and regional disparities in malaria cases. The model achieved a robust R-squared value of 0.8193, reflecting substantial predictive accuracy. Regional hotspots such as Ashanti and Western exhibited higher case numbers than Greater Accra, emphasizing the need for localized interventions. Conclusions: The study demonstrates the potential of Random Forest as a scalable tool for malaria prediction in resource-constrained settings, enabling data-driven decision-making and optimizing public health resources. These findings align with global malaria reduction goals, emphasizing the integration of machine learning into public health strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality in vulnerable populations.
subject: Article de Recherche
  topic: section
creator: Maxwell Akwasi Boateng
creator: Ernest Kwame Agyapong
creator: Treasure Kekeli Dorson
creator: Richard Kodzo Avuglah
creator: Jessica Sey Nigre
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2025
date: 2025-06-17
publication date: 2025-06-17
starting page: 74
ending page: 86
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2025-v12-i1-550

Smart Medical System for Trusted LoRaWAN Server
type: item
description: leading tech of LoRaWAN in Smart Medical System (SMS) measures the human health parameters with no laboratory diagnosis. The system uses an ESP32 microcontroller and bio-sensors to examine the human physiological conditions based on environmental factors using low power components but provides a seamless experience with long-range communication modules (LoRa). Monitored data is centralized in a server that can be accessed securely from remote place. The main goal of this paper is to implement the patient’s health records maintenance with end-to-end encrypted data using consensus algorithms. An Authorized person only accesses encrypted data with the private key through decentralization. Simultaneously, the proposed system introduces an efficient method to get alert messages from the patient that enables sharing the predicted data in real-time to the caretaker and hospital doctor.
subject: Article de Recherche
  topic: section
creator: Adhikesavan Gokulachandar
creator: KannanShanmugam Shanmugam
creator: Shanmugam Vijayakumar
creator: Subramanian Sugumaran
creator: Tamilselvan Senthil
creator: Arigila Srinivasulu
creator: Kalavagunta Lakshmi
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2025
date: 2025-06-17
publication date: 2025-06-17
starting page: 65
ending page: 73
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2025-v12-i1-548

Community-Based Health Information System Governance Structural Mechanism: Its Role in Attaining the Alignment and Improving the Community Health Outcomes
type: item
description: Purpose - Health Information Technology (HIT) governance is necessary for the effective functioning of HIT systems to improve health outcomes. However, practices associated with the Community-Based Health Information System (CBHIS) governance structural mechanism remain unclear. In addition, there is a paucity of knowledge on the nature of the interrelationships between the CBHIS governance structural mechanism, alignment and community health outcomes. The study sought to establish and validate practices associated with the CBHIS governance structural mechanism and its interrelationships with community health-CBHIS alignment and community health outcomes. Methodology - This study employed a mixed-method research approach, utilising a convergent parallel research design. Two study sites were purposefully chosen from a total of 47 counties due to their experience in CBHIS implementation and use. A sample size of 179 respondents participated in the study. To analyse research data, the study used partial least squares (PLS) structural equation modelling (SEM). Findings - The study had eight different practices associated with the CBHIS governance structural mechanism construct and six indicators measuring community health outcomes. Reliability and validity of constructs were used to assess the measurement model. Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability were utilised and study findings reveal that all the indicators met thresholds. In addition, the convergent validities for the two constructs were above the minimum threshold of 0.5000 (AVE>0.5000). Furthermore, the two constructs in this study met the discriminant validity criterion assessed using three techniques namely the Fornell-Lacker Criterion, HTMT and cross-loadings. The assessment of the structural model reveals a positive and significant relationship between the CBHIS structural mechanism and community health outcomes. The linkage between the CBHIS governance structural mechanism and community health outcomes…
subject: Article de Recherche
  topic: section
creator: Hosea Kipkemboi Chumba
creator: Timothy Mwololo Waema
creator: Daniel Orwa Ochieng
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2026
date: 2026-01-12
publication date: 2026-01-12
starting page: 1
ending page: 16
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2025-v12-i2-521

Improving Cancer Data Availability Within Routine Reporting Systems in a Low-Income Setting: A Case of Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, Uganda
type: item
description: Background and purpose: Worldwide, an estimated 19.3 million new cancer cases and almost 10.0 million cancer deaths occurred in 2020. In the same year, 801,392 new cancer cases and 520,158 cancer deaths occurred in sub-Saharan Africa where cancer survival is even disproportionately lower. In Uganda, there is limited knowledge about the usability levels of national electronic reporting systems with patient-level cancer data. Such data guide operational planning, track progress and performance over time, evaluate and understand cancer risk factors, study phenomena, explore relationships, test hypotheses, or draw meaningful conclusions. This study intended to fix the knowledge gap on the usability level of a routine electronic reporting system using standard tools. Objective: To determine the usability of the developed reporting system at a cancer unit in a low-resource setting. Methods: This observational study used a design science approach, configuring the Maintenance application and Tracker domains in DHIS2 version 2.40.3. Retrospective records of 104 new cancer cases were purposively selected and entered into the instance. The mean usability score was determined using the system usability scale (SUS). Results: A mean SUS score of 72.34 (SD 11.23) was obtained at a 76.19% response rate. Most respondents were male (75%) with a mean age of 30.81 (SD 7.4). Conclusions: A web-based DHIS2 instance made cancer data available and accessible. There is a need to scale the instance to the remaining 15 regional hospitals out of 17, use prospective programmatic data in future studies, and conduct system pre-training to improve user engagement.
subject: Article de Recherche
  topic: section
creator: Robert M. Mwesigwa
creator: Joan Nakibuuka
creator: Irene Wanyana
creator: Philip Waiswa
creator: James Serubugo
creator: Nazarius Mbona Tumwesigye
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2025
date: 2025-06-17
publication date: 2025-06-17
starting page: 53
ending page: 64
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2025-v12-i1-546

Editorial
type: item
subject: Editorial
  topic: section
creator: Nicky Mostert
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2022
date: 2022-06-19
publication date: 2022-06-19

Editorial to the HELINA 2023 Proceedings
type: item
description: The 2023 edition of the HELINA (HEaLthINformaticsinAfrica) conference was held from 01 – 03 November 2023 as an in-person conference in Cape Town, South Africa. The conference was hosted by the South African Health Informatics Association (SAHIA) in partnership with HELINA. The conference theme was focused on “Effective Implementation, Meaningful Use and Sustainability of Digital Health Interventions: The Role of Health Informatics and Imaging Informatics in Africa”. The aim was to provide a platform to showcase interventions in the following formats: Full research papers based on mature research results; Work in progress papers based on work in process research; and Case study presentations based on case studies and experience in digital health interventions. Review Process A total of 61 submissions in these categories were received. A double-blind peer review process was used for evaluating each full research and work in progress paper. These submissions were anonymized before being submitted to reviewers according to their area of expertise. The Scientific Programme Committee (SPC) based their final decision on the acceptance of each full research and work in progress paper on the recommendations and comments from reviewers. Accepted submissions were then sent back to the authors for revision according to the reviewers’ comments. Case study submissions were reviewed by the SPC for inclusion in the conference. This review process resulted in the following acceptance rates: Full research papers: 44% acceptance rate (9 received, 4 accepted) Work in progress papers: 66% acceptance rate (6 received, 4 accepted) Case studies and experience papers: 85% acceptance rate (46 received, 39 accepted) In order to be included in the conference proceedings, authors had to submit their final camera-ready papers after incorporating reviewer comments, and accepted papers had to be presented at the conference in person. Nicky Mostert HELINA 2023 SPC Chair
subject: Editorial
  topic: section
creator: Nicky Mostert
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2024
date: 2024-02-19
publication date: 2024-02-19

DÉVELOPPEMENT D’UN LOGICIEL POUR INTERPRÉTER L’ENREGISTREMENT DU RYTHME CARDIAQUE FŒTAL : « 2ARCF SYSTEME »
type: item
description: L’Obstétrique est parmi les spécialités où l’informatique médicale opère, dans les pays développés. Madagascar comme étant un pays en développement n’a pas l’opportunité d’acquérir les fruits de ces recherches notamment dans l’interprétation du rythme cardiaque fœtal (RCF). Objectifs : Notre étude consiste à la création d’un logiciel qui analyse automatiquement le RCF avec les ressources matérielles disponibles et l’évaluation de son efficacité. Méthode et résultats : Nous avons développé et codé l’application « 2ARCF système » avec Matrix Laboratory. On a recruté au hasard des enregistrements du RCF puis analysé avec le logiciel créé. Nous avons réalisé une étude prospective descriptive sur ces enregistrements et pour préciser la fiabilité des résultats du logiciel, nous avons réalisé une étude comparative de ces derniers avec l’analyse conventionnelle selon la classification du RCF du CNGOF. Soixante quatre enregistrements ont été recrutés. Après analyse conventionnelle 62,5% des tracés revenaient normaux contre 95,3% après analyse informatisée avec une concordance à 59,4% des tracés. Le taux de réussite du logiciel était de 98,4%. Conclusion : L’application « 2ARCF système » a montré sa fiabilité. Elle est un atout, surtout dans les régions éloignées de Madagascar. Mots-clés : analyse informatisée, logiciel d’interprétation, rythme cardiaque fœtal
subject: Article de Recherche
  topic: section
creator: Lanto Nirina Aimé Rainibarijaona
creator: Solonirina José Randimbison
creator: Tahina Joëlle Rajaonarison
creator: Fahafahantsoa Rapelanoro Rabenja
rights: © Journal of Health Informatics in Africa 2024
date: 2024-03-18
publication date: 2024-03-18
starting page: 77
ending page: 84
doi: 10.12856/JHIA-2024-v11-i1-156