ABSTRACT:
introductionthe digital health boom in africa offers promise but is challenged by serious risks. disparate national regulations and reliance on external technology platforms seriously undermine data sovereignty, equitable access,&regional health security. vital health intelligence is stored and analyzed outside the continent, restricting its use for research, artificial intelligence (AI) development, &swift epidemic responses. this structural problem increases the likelihood of biased, non-contextual algorithms being deployed, leading to detrimental health outcomes and widening health gaps for african populations. this paper proposes pan-african health data hubs as an integrated solution, supporting the wcph 2026 theme of “health without borders: equity, inclusion, &sustainability.” methodsthe conceptual framework was developed through a focused policy analysis and comparative review. the methodology contrasts the regulatory friction created by varying national data protection acts (e.g in ecowas & sadc) with the unifying strategic documents of the african union &africa cdc. the solution is systematically built around three core policy mechanisms: legal harmonization and robust ethical oversight; regional infrastructure hubs for secure data pooling &targeted human capacity development. the model’s primary goal is to establish african data ownership and control for critical public health applications. resultsour analysis indicates the framework establishes necessary unified protocols for immediate, cross-border health data exchange, significantly enhancing epidemic responsiveness. by mandating that AI tools are trained on comprehensive african datasets, the hubs will minimize algorithmic bias, promoting equitable health outcomes. secure, continentally governed pooling hubs allow ethical, large-scale data analysis while fully protecting sovereignty. training initiatives ensure the long-term, independent governance, technical operation& sustainability of the system. conclusionspan-african health data hubs represent a practical, scalable &politically aligned model for realizing ethical, inclusive, and sovereign digital public health.by integrating governance, infrastructure &local expertise, these hubs guarantee timely and equitable access to actionable health insights&firmly position africa as a global leader in health data governance.