Health Informatics Specialist
You build the digital systems that make modern healthcare work – and Africa's digital health revolution needs you.
What this life looks like
Data is transforming healthcare. The decisions that doctors, nurses, governments, and health organisations make – which patients need follow-up, which interventions work, where disease is spreading, whether hospitals are running out of medicines – increasingly depend on digital systems that collect, manage, and analyse health information accurately and in real time. As a Health Informatics Specialist you design, build, implement, and maintain those systems. You are the bridge between healthcare and technology – understanding both the clinical needs of health workers and the technical possibilities of software and data systems. In Africa digital health is one of the most rapidly growing fields, driven by widespread mobile phone adoption, expanding internet access, and the urgent need to leapfrog the paper-based health records that most hospitals and clinics still use. Health informatics specialists are building electronic health records for hospitals across the continent, designing community health worker apps, setting up disease surveillance dashboards, and using data to find the gaps in health system coverage. This is a career at the frontier of healthcare innovation in Africa.
What she actually does
A Health Informatics Specialist designs and implements electronic health record systems, health management information systems, and disease surveillance platforms. They train health workers on using digital systems, manage health data quality and governance, analyse health data to support decision-making, integrate data systems across different health facilities, and work with governments and NGOs on digital health strategy and policy. Some health informatics specialists focus on clinical decision support tools, telemedicine platforms, or AI-assisted diagnostics.
Where you can work
| Sector | Places in Africa |
|---|---|
| Hospitals and health facilities implementing electronic health records | Valkenberg Hospital (South Africa), Lily Hospitals (Nigeria), Aga Khan University Hospital (Nairobi), and the AfyaEHMS (Kenya) |
| Government health ministries and health information agencies | Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), NCDC (Nigeria), and the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) |
| International health organisations | WHO, CDC, and PEPFAR digital health programmes |
| Digital health startups and technology companies building health platforms for African markets | Helium Health (Nigeria), Sobrus (Morocco/West Africa), Click Doc, and Zuri Health (Kenya) |
| Global health NGOs | eHealth Africa, Amref Health Africa, Partners In Health (PIH), and Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) |
| Health consulting firms | Dalberg Advisors, BroadReach Health Development, and PwC Health Industries (Africa region) |
Why it matters in Africa
Most African health systems still run on paper. Without reliable health data, governments cannot know where disease is concentrated, cannot evaluate whether programmes are working, cannot detect outbreaks early, and cannot efficiently allocate resources. Electronic health systems enable all of this – but only if they are well-designed, properly implemented, and built for the local context. Health informatics specialists who understand both the technology and the African healthcare context are the people who will make the digital health revolution work in practice rather than just in theory.
Your pathway in
Computer Science, Information Technology, Mathematics, or a health-related degree at university provides the foundation. Some health informatics specialists come from a clinical background and add technology skills; others come from a technology background and add health knowledge. Postgraduate programmes in Health Informatics or eHealth are available at institutions including the University of Cape Town and a growing number of other African universities. Professional certifications in health informatics, OpenMRS, DHIS2, and other key platforms used across Africa are highly valuable.
Skills you will need
Technical: Software systems design and implementation, database management, health data standards including HL7 and FHIR, proficiency with platforms including DHIS2 and OpenMRS which are widely used across Africa, data analysis, and systems integration. Human: The ability to work with clinical teams who may be resistant to technology change, translating between technical and clinical language, project management, training and capacity building, and adaptability when systems need to evolve in response to user needs. Digital tools: DHIS2 health management information system, OpenMRS electronic health records, data visualisation tools, mobile health app development platforms, and SQL database management.
A woman in this field
Dr. Shingai Machingaidze
South Africa / Zimbabwe
Dr. Machingaidze is a prominent epidemiologist and public health specialist currently serving as the Acting Chief Science Officer at the Africa CDC. She has a deep background in clinical research and health informatics, having previously worked with the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP). She is a leading voice in ensuring that African health data is robust, ethically managed, and used to drive home-grown scientific solutions for the continent's most pressing health challenges.
Take your first step
Start learning to code if you have not already. Python and SQL are the most immediately useful languages for health informatics. Look at DHIS2.org – the District Health Information Software 2 is used in more than 70 countries including most of Africa, and the website has free training materials. Search for digital health initiatives happening in your country and region – the Africa Digital Health Initiative and the WHO Digital Health Atlas will show you who is building what. If you are interested in both health and technology, health informatics is the career that puts you at the intersection of both.