Health databases & datasets: Africa

HDB-0081

South Africa National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS)

National Health Laboratory Service The NHLS is a South African national public entity providing diagnostic pathology services and laboratory testing to over 80% of the South African population through a countrywide network of quality-assured laboratories. The organization operates LabTrack (a laboratory test tracking system) and maintains the National HIV Cohort, generating surveillance data on diagnostic patterns and HIV treatment outcomes across the country. Open dataset Credentialed HDB-0082

Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)

Kenya Medical Research Institute KEMRI is a Kenyan health research institute established in 1979, conducting research on infectious diseases, parasitic diseases, epidemiology, and non-communicable diseases with laboratories and extensive surveillance networks. The institute operates the Kilifi Health and Demographic Surveillance System (KHDSS), a Clinical Information Network spanning 25 hospitals, and maintains a biobank of over one million samples. Research database Credentialed HDB-0083

African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) Microdata Portal

African Population and Health Research Center APHRC's microdata portal provides access to 134+ documented datasets from research studies conducted across African countries, particularly Kenya, with detailed metadata on study design, sampling procedures, and data dictionaries. The portal hosts data from the Nairobi Urban Health and Demographic Surveillance System (NUHDSS) and numerous longitudinal studies on population, health, and education issues in sub-Saharan Africa. Open dataset Free registration HDB-0084

Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa)

H3Africa Consortium (NIH, Wellcome Trust, Science for Africa Foundation) H3Africa is a consortium-based initiative funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Wellcome Trust that conducts genomic research on the health determinants of common diseases across multiple African populations. The initiative manages 51 active research projects generating large-scale genomic and environmental data with documented governance through a Data and Biospecimen Access Committee. Open dataset Credentialed HDB-0085

Africa CDC Health Knowledge Hub

Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) The Africa CDC Health Knowledge Hub serves as the central platform for disease surveillance, outbreak tracking, and health emergency data across the African continent under the African Union. The hub provides real-time disease outbreak information, health publications, and surveillance data integrated through Africa CDC's recently established Central Data Repository using a federated model. Open dataset Open access HDB-0086

Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR)

South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) PACTR is the first WHO-recognized primary clinical trials registry in Africa, providing a free, open-access platform for registration of planned, ongoing, and completed clinical trials conducted across the continent. Established in 2007 and expanded to all disease conditions in 2009, the registry documents research patterns, funding, ethics, and locations of African-based trials. Trial registry Open access HDB-0087

WHO AFRO Integrated African Health Observatory (iAHO)

World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO) The integrated African Health Observatory (iAHO) is the strategic health intelligence platform hosting health data, analytics, and evidence for the WHO African Region encompassing 47 Member States and their National Health Observatories. The platform marshals standardized health data, performs in-depth analysis, and disseminates key health information for policy dialogue and health decision-making. Open dataset Open access HDB-0180

Navrongo Health and Demographic Surveillance System

Navrongo Health Research Centre, Ghana Health Service Longitudinal population surveillance system established in 1993 monitoring approximately 318,000 people across three districts in Northern Ghana, tracking vital events including pregnancies, births, deaths, and migrations. Data are shared with researchers under data sharing agreements and are available through the INDEPTH Network. Open dataset Credentialed HDB-0181

Kintampo Health and Demographic Surveillance System

Kintampo Health Research Centre, Ghana Health Service One of the largest demographic surveillance systems in Africa, established in 1994, monitoring multiple districts in Ghana's Bono East region with longitudinal cohort data on mortality, fertility, and health outcomes. Data are shared with researchers through formal data sharing agreements and the INDEPTH Network. Open dataset Credentialed HDB-0182

Dodowa Health and Demographic Surveillance System

Dodowa Health Research Centre, Ghana Health Service Health and demographic surveillance site established in 2005 covering approximately 133,000 residents across peri-urban districts southeast of Accra, Ghana, tracking vital events and health indicators through biannual household visits. Data are available to researchers under collaborative agreements. Open dataset Credentialed HDB-0183

Bandim Health Project

Bandim Health Project, University of Southern Denmark Africa's oldest and one of its largest rural health and demographic surveillance systems, established in 1989 and monitoring over 200,000 individuals across urban and rural Guinea-Bissau through biannual household surveys. The system tracks vital events, vaccination status, and health interventions across multiple disease research areas. Open dataset Credentialed HDB-0184

MRC Unit The Gambia — Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems

Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Three integrated HDSS platforms (Farafenni since 1981, West Kiang since 2005, Basse since 2007) operated by a major UK research unit in The Gambia, covering multiple districts with decades of longitudinal demographic and health data. The systems serve as platforms for field research on disease control, nutrition, vaccines, and public health interventions. Open dataset Credentialed HDB-0186

Cross River Health and Demographic Surveillance System

University of Calabar, INDEPTH Network Established in 2012 as a pilot with IDRC Canada support, monitoring 33,461 individuals across urban and rural sites in Akpabuyo Local Government Area to fill gaps in Nigeria's national health information system. The system tracks vital events, socioeconomic data, and health outcomes using mobile technology for data collection. Open dataset Credentialed HDB-0187

Nigeria CDC Weekly Epidemiological Reports

Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention Nigeria's national public health institute publishes weekly epidemiological reports covering notifiable disease surveillance across the federation, archived continuously since 2016. Reports are released as free downloads organised by epidemiological week, alongside outbreak situation reports for cholera, Lassa fever, diphtheria and other priority diseases. Open dataset Free registration HDB-0188

Senegal Continuous Demographic and Health Survey (ANSD)

National Agency for Statistics and Demography (ANSD) Senegal's official demographic and health surveillance conducted by the National Agency for Statistics and Demography, conducting periodic nationally representative surveys since the 1980s covering child and maternal health, family planning, nutrition, and health behavior. Recent cycles (2012–2023) collected data from thousands of households across all regions. Open dataset Open access HDB-0189

Taabo Health and Demographic Surveillance System

Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, INDEPTH Network Established in 2009 in south-central Côte d'Ivoire near Lake Taabo, monitoring 42,480 residents across 6,707 households to support research on water-associated diseases including schistosomiasis, malaria, and other neglected tropical diseases. Data on vital events, health outcomes, and intervention impacts are shared through INDEPTH. Open dataset Credentialed HDB-0190

Ouagadougou Health and Demographic Surveillance System

INDEPTH Network member Established in 2008 in five neighborhoods at the northern periphery of Ouagadougou's capital, monitoring 83,848 residents (combining formal and informal peri-urban settlements) through household visits to track vital events and health indicators. Data on non-communicable disease mortality, urban health dynamics, and health outcomes are available through INDEPTH. Open dataset Credentialed HDB-0191

Niakhar Health and Demographic Surveillance System

Institut de Recherche pour le Développement / London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine One of Africa's oldest and longest-running demographic surveillance systems, established in 1962 in rural Senegal and monitoring approximately 43,000 residents across 30 villages through 4-monthly household surveys. Vital events, health outcomes, epidemiological data, and economic indicators have been collected continuously for over 60 years. Open dataset Credentialed HDB-0192

Ifakara Health and Demographic Surveillance System (Ifakara HDSS)

Ifakara Health Institute The Ifakara HDSS operates in rural and urban areas of Kilombero and Ulanga districts, Tanzania, collecting longitudinal demographic and health data since 1996 on approximately 165,000 individuals across three distinct surveillance sites. Data includes vital events, sociodemographic characteristics, maternal and child health outcomes, and disease epidemiology, with core datasets available through the INDEPTH iSHARE repository. Open dataset Free registration HDB-0193

Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS)

Tanzania National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Ministry of Health The Tanzania DHS is a nationally representative periodic survey implemented by NBS since 1991-92, with the latest 2022 TDHS-MIS collecting data on fertility, mortality, family planning, maternal and child health, nutrition, HIV/AIDS, and malaria from approximately 5,000+ households nationwide. Microdata is publicly available through the NBS microdata portal for researchers and policymakers. Open dataset Open access HDB-0194

Iganga-Mayuge Health and Demographic Surveillance Site (IMHDSS)

Makerere University, Karolinska Institutet The IMHDSS is a population-based surveillance platform established in 2004 in Eastern Uganda, covering approximately 85,000 individuals across 65 villages in Iganga and Mayuge districts with twice-yearly data collection on vital events, migrations, sociodemographics, immunization, and health outcomes. The site serves as a research laboratory for community-oriented epidemiological and implementation science studies. Open dataset Free registration HDB-0195

Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS)

Uganda Bureau of Statistics UBOS is Uganda's national statistical agency coordinating the National Statistical System and producing integrated health and population statistics including the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS), health abstracts, census data, and administrative health records. The bureau publishes annual statistical abstracts containing health indicators on morbidity, mortality, maternal/child health, and communicable diseases. Open dataset Open access HDB-0196

Uganda Genome Resource (UGR)

MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Wellcome Sanger Institute The UGR is a genomic and phenotypic database established in 2011 containing genotype and whole-genome sequence data from ~7,833 Ugandan individuals representing 10 ethno-linguistic groups, with phenotypic data on communicable and non-communicable diseases, cardiometabolic traits, and infectious disease biomarkers from the Uganda General Population Cohort. Data supports genomics research for disease susceptibility discovery and polygenic risk assessment in African populations. Research database Credentialed HDB-0197

Kersa Health and Demographic Surveillance System (Kersa HDSS)

Haramaya University, College of Health and Medical Sciences Established in 2007 in eastern Ethiopia's Kersa district, the Kersa HDSS monitors approximately 136,505 person-years across 12 sub-districts in rural Oromia Region, collecting data on births, deaths, migration, immunization, pregnancy, and morbidity every 6 months. The system provides a research platform for epidemiological studies and intervention evaluations in communicable and non-communicable diseases. Open dataset Free registration HDB-0199

Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) - National Data Management Center for Health

Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) EPHI, established in 1995, operates the National Data Management Center for Health (NDMC) as a central archive for health-related data in Ethiopia, providing burden of disease estimates, surveillance data, health atlases, COVID-19 analytics, and evidence synthesis using national and subnational data. The center supports evidence-based decision-making for the Federal Ministry of Health by processing administrative, epidemiological, and survey data. Open dataset Open access HDB-0200

Addis Health and Demographic Surveillance System (Addis-HDSS)

Addis Continental Institute of Public Health A newly established (2023) urban HDSS in Yeka sub-city, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, monitoring approximately 107,000 individuals across 30,533 households with baseline census data on sociodemographics, housing, economic status, and selected health factors. The system provides a sampling frame for urban health research and tests population-based public health interventions in Ethiopia's capital. Open dataset Free registration HDB-0201

Karonga Health and Demographic Surveillance System (Karonga HDSS)

Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU), London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), Malawi Ministry of Health Operating since 2002-2004 in northern Malawi, Karonga HDSS monitors approximately 42,000 individuals across Lake Malawi communities, collecting continuous data on vital events, migration, cause-specific mortality via verbal autopsy, and linkages to clinical facility data. The system supports evaluation of health interventions including antiretroviral therapy and vaccination programmes. Open dataset Free registration HDB-0202

Manhiça Health Research Centre (Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça, CISM)

Manhiça Health Research Centre (CISM) Established in 1996 in Manhiça district, Mozambique, CISM operates a Health and Demographic Surveillance System monitoring approximately 209,000 individuals in 49,000 households with twice-yearly sociodemographic updates and daily clinical data collection on household characteristics, vital events, health history, and causes of death. The centre implements the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) program. Open dataset Free registration HDB-0205

Agincourt Health and Socio-Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS)

MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Unit, University of Witwatersrand A longitudinal health and demographic surveillance system established in 1992 covering 120,000 people across 31 villages in rural northeast South Africa, collecting detailed health, mortality, migration and socioeconomic data. The platform supports observational studies, interventional research, health systems evaluation, and policy assessments, with individual-level data accessible through the data portal at data.agincourt.co.za. Open dataset By application HDB-0206

Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI)

Africa Health Research Institute An independent transdisciplinary research institute based across two campuses in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, operating a health and demographic surveillance system (HDSS) for longitudinal population monitoring focused on HIV, TB, emerging infections, and adolescent mental health. AHRI combines population, basic, translational, and clinical sciences with approximately 500 scientists and staff collaborating with over 60 institutions globally. Research database Credentialed HDB-0207

Dikgale, Mamabolo and Mothiba Health and Demographic Surveillance System (DIMAMO HDSS)

University of Limpopo, Population Health Research Center (PHRC) A rural health and demographic surveillance system established in 1995 covering approximately 116,000 individuals across 57 villages in Capricorn District, Limpopo Province, South Africa, conducting triannual surveillance tracking births, deaths, migrations, and annual bio-behavioral surveys. The center engages over 65,000 consenting adults aged 15+ in annual surveys supporting postgraduate research, intervention evaluations, and evidence-based health policy development. Open dataset By application HDB-0208

South Africa National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS)

Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU), University of Cape Town A longitudinal panel survey following approximately 28,000 South Africans across 7,305 households since 2008, collecting comprehensive data on income, consumption, expenditure, employment, education, health, fertility, and mortality. Health data includes information on general health status, healthcare access, morbidity, nutrition, and the relationship between socioeconomic status and health outcomes. Open dataset Free registration HDB-0209

Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) Health Data

Statistics South Africa South Africa's official statistics agency providing vital statistics on recorded live births, perinatal deaths, mortality, causes of death, marriages, and divorces, alongside health-related data from surveys like the General Household Survey and Living Conditions Survey. The agency collects population and health data through integrated national surveys supporting evidence-based policy development. Open dataset Open access HDB-0211

Kenya Health Management Information System (KeHMIS)

Kenya Ministry of Health, supported by PEPFAR and CDC A comprehensive digital health system serving Kenya's public health facilities and supporting the Ministry of Health and County Health Management Teams in data collection, management, and utilization for evidence-based decision-making. The system integrates clinical care digital solutions, centralized data warehouse analytics, and standards-based interoperability, serving 1,900+ eHTS sites and 2,300+ EMR sites with 89% of data housed in the National Data Warehouse. Open dataset Credentialed HDB-0212

Uganda Health Information Systems Programme (HISP Uganda) / DHIS2

Ministry of Health Uganda, implemented by HISP Uganda Uganda's national health information system using District Health Information System 2 (DHIS2) deployed since 2011 and rolled out to all 112 districts by 2012, collecting aggregate and individual-level health data. The system supports routine reporting, disease surveillance, immunization tracking, and maternal-child health monitoring, with HISP Uganda providing implementation support, capacity building for 50,000+ health workers, and expansion to education information systems. Open dataset Credentialed HDB-0213

Ghana District Health Information Management System 2 (DHIMS2)

Ghana Health Service (GHS) in collaboration with University of Oslo Ghana's national web-based health management information system implemented by the Ghana Health Service since 2012, adapted from open-source District Health Information System 2 (DHIS2) to collect, manage, and support facility-based health data decision-making across district, sub-district and community levels. As of 2013, DHIMS2 was accessible in 170 of 216 districts with approximately 5,163 registered users collecting aggregate health services data from health facilities. Open dataset Credentialed HDB-0214

Senegal Health Management Information System (HMIS) - DHIS2

Senegal Ministry of Health Senegal's national health information system deployed using District Health Information System 2 (DHIS2) starting in 2013 and nationally implemented by 2014, collecting data from all public health establishments and local health posts. The system includes DHIS2 Tracker capabilities for individual-level disease reporting on priority diseases including HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, and COVID-19, with laboratory data management and case-based surveillance. Open dataset Credentialed HDB-0215

Zimbabwe District Health Information System 2 (DHIS2)

Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC), Zimbabwe Zimbabwe's national health information system using DHIS2, introduced during 2011-2012 and updated to integrate parallel and vertical information systems across all district health offices, city health departments, provincial health offices, and national head office. The system houses aggregate monthly and weekly malaria data, national health indicators, and disease surveillance data, with the National Health Information Technical Committee coordinating data governance. Open dataset Credentialed HDB-0217

Botswana Health Management Information System (HMIS) with DHIS2

Botswana Ministry of Health Botswana's health information system combining traditional HMIS with DHIS2 adaptation for supply chain data integration, developed with USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program support to prevent treatment interruptions. The system integrates data from public health facilities through OpenMRS for TB tracking, a National Data Warehouse for HIV, and DHIS2 for aggregate monitoring and evaluation data, though currently lacks private facility and NGO data. Open dataset Credentialed HDB-0218

Malawi Health Management Information System (HMIS) - DHIS2

Malawi Ministry of Health Malawi's national DHIS2-based health management information system in use since 2012, replacing the original DHIS system to improve data collection and aggregation for evidence-based planning and resource management. The HMIS integrates 65 key health service indicators and has fully integrated all service-related information systems and disease surveillance into a single entity, with recent integration of eLMIS (electronic Logistics Management Information System) to combine medical supply data with health services data. Open dataset Credentialed HDB-0219

Tanzania Health Management Information System (HMIS) / MTUHA

Tanzanian Ministry of Health Tanzania's national health information system combining facility-based MTUHA (introduced 1993) with DHIS2 web-based software (adopted 2014-2019) for collecting, validating, analyzing and presenting health data on morbidity, mortality, health infrastructure and service coverage. The system uses a health information exchange layer enabling data integration across 15 separate vertical information systems, supporting routine health services management and policy decision-making at facility to national levels. Open dataset Credentialed HDB-0220

Ethiopia Health Management Information System (HMIS) - DHIS2

Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) Ethiopia's national health information system launched in 2008 and transitioned to DHIS2 in 2017 to improve data integration and analysis across 30,000+ public health facilities serving over 120 million people. The system collects standardized data on health services and outcomes at district, regional, and national levels, with capacity building for over 7,000 health workers, supporting evidence-based decision-making under the Health Sector Transformation Plan. Open dataset Credentialed HDB-0221

Egypt Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS)

Conducted by El-Zanaty and Associates on behalf of Egypt Ministry of Health, funded by USAID Egypt's nationally representative survey series providing data on fertility, family planning, maternal and child health, vaccination, infectious diseases and nutrition, conducted periodically since 1988 as part of the Demographic and Health Surveys Program. The 2014 EDHS surveyed 28,175 households and 21,762 ever-married women aged 15-49, with data available for six major geographic subdivisions including urban and rural Upper and Lower Egypt. Research database Free registration HDB-0222

Morocco Ministry of Health and Social Protection - Health Data

Morocco Ministry of Health and Social Protection (Ministère de la Santé et de la Protection Sociale) Morocco's central ministry responsible for public health policy and implementation, publishing health statistics reports including 'Santé en Chiffres' (Health in Figures) with national health indicators and performance data. The ministry is implementing digitalization initiatives including a centralized medical records system and digital health infrastructure development. Open dataset Open access HDB-0225

ALPHA Network (Network for Analysing Longitudinal Population-based HIV/AIDS data on Africa)

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) ALPHA brings together ten population-based HIV surveillance sites across eastern and southern Africa (Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe), collecting individual-level data on HIV infection, demographics, behavior, socio-economic status, and clinical outcomes since the late 1980s. Anonymized microdata are available through DataFirst under license for research on HIV incidence, mortality, and the effects of HIV on population dynamics. Research database Credentialed HDB-0226

INSPIRE Datahub

African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), with ALPHA Network, SAPRIN, and CODATA INSPIRE is a pan-African integrated suite of services for harmonizing longitudinal population health data from health and demographic surveillance systems (HDSS) across multiple African countries using OHDSI tools and the OMOP Common Data Model. The platform enables researchers and policymakers to access standardized, FAIR-compliant datasets on fertility, mortality, migration, and morbidity for evidence-based decision-making. Research database Free registration HDB-0232

AGARI (African Genomic Archive for Response & Insight)

Africa CDC (African Union Commission) AGARI is a continent-wide genomic data sharing platform that provides secure, real-time access to pathogen sequence data and analysis while respecting national sovereignty and data governance. It enables African scientists and public health officials to rapidly detect and respond to disease threats through collaborative genome archiving and analysis infrastructure. Research database Credentialed HDB-0543

Africa CDC Institute of Pathogen Genomics (IPG) – Africa Pathogen Genomics Initiative

Africa CDC (African Union Commission) The Africa CDC Institute of Pathogen Genomics coordinates the Africa Pathogen Genomics Initiative, a continental network building sequencing capacity and data-sharing infrastructure for pathogen surveillance across African Union member states. It supports genomic surveillance of priority pathogens through a network of regional centres, with data access arranged through Africa CDC and the participating national institutes. Research database Credentialed