[DURBAN, South Africa / LAGOS, SciDev.Net] As African countries work to strengthen their health systems after years of donor dependence, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is placing renewed emphasis on primary health care and digital innovation.

In an interview with SciDev.Net, Landry Dongmo Tsague, inaugural director of Africa CDC’s Center for Primary Health Care, discusses how artificial intelligence (AI) can improve disease surveillance — and why quality African data is crucial.

Speaking on the sideline’s of this year’s Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA), Tsague explains why moving towards self-reliance — the central theme of the conference held last week in Durban, South Africa — must guide the continent’s health agenda.

How is Africa CDC integrating AI into its primary health care strategy?

Artificial intelligence has huge potential to improve not only how Africa CDC operates but also how we protect the health of the continent’s 1.4 billion people.

We see AI as part of our digital transformation journey, which aligns with the African Union’s continental AI strategy.

There are two main levels. The first is within Africa CDC itself, improving internal systems for planning, reporting, finance, procurement, and monitoring. Through automation and AI, we are streamlining data management and strengthening our central disease-intelligence repository.

The second level is support to member states, especially at the community and primary-care level where most outbreaks begin. Digital tools and AI can enhance event-based surveillance — detecting signals early, transmitting data quickly, and triggering rapid responses.

We already see good examples. In Rwanda, AI tools are helping track disease outbreaks and maternal emergencies and supporting telemedicine and real-time decision-making through the National Health Intelligence Centre.

AI depends on large volumes of data. Who owns this data — the Africa CDC, national governments, or technology partners?

Ownership and protection of data are key concerns. The African Union has developed a continental data-policy framework, and Africa CDC is building on that through the Continental Health Data Governance Framework.

This framework defines how health data should be collected, stored, and used ethically. It aims to guarantee African ownership while ensuring that partnerships with private and technology actors respect our sovereignty. Ethical use and data protection remain at the centre of our work.

Many algorithms are built on data from more affluent regions. How can Africa ensure that AI models work for African contexts?

Bias in algorithms is real. The best way to address it is by developing algorithms trained on African data. Our health realities differ from other regions, so we must feed AI systems with data that reflect our populations and environments.

Bias will not disappear instantly, but AI learns. As we supply more African data, the systems will adapt and become more accurate for our context. It will take time, but it is essential if AI is to serve African needs.

What steps are being taken to generate high-quality, context-specific African data?

We are collaborating with member states, experts, and the private sector to develop guidelines and governance frameworks that respond to Africa’s realities.

The focus is on strengthening data infrastructure and quality, collecting accurate, timely, and representative data that can guide decision-making and make AI more relevant to our continent.

The long-term goal is to ensure African data stay in Africa and are used for Africa’s benefit.

Infrastructure remains a challenge — limited electricity, poor connectivity, weak health facilities. How can AI work under such conditions?

You cannot deploy digital tools in places where the basics are missing. AI must rest on a strong foundation of functional primary health care.

If a facility has no electricity or water, AI will not solve that. This is why Africa CDC links digital transformation to the broader effort of revitalising primary healthcare systems. Infrastructure, human resources, and technology must develop together.

Leapfrogging is possible, but it must be pragmatic. Technology can improve healthcare delivery, but it cannot replace basic infrastructure. We must first strengthen facilities so that digital tools can add real value.

Financing is another barrier. With declining donor funds, how can African countries sustain their health systems?

That is at the heart of this year’s CPHIA theme, self-reliance to achieve universal health coverage and health security.

Self-reliance does not mean closing doors to partners. It means taking primary responsibility for our health systems. Domestic financing is no longer optional, it is urgent.

Africa CDC recently launched the Green Book: Reimagining Health Financing in the New Era, which highlights three pillars for sustainable financing:

One, increase domestic investment…Two, promote innovative financing…Three, ensure good governance.

Africa cannot build resilient systems on unpredictable donor funding. We must finance our priorities and strengthen the workforce and infrastructure that deliver care.

What role should primary health care play in achieving this self-reliance?

Primary health care is the foundation of health security. When it works well, countries can detect and contain outbreaks early, provide essential services, and reduce pressure on hospitals.

Investing in primary health care means investing in people, community health workers, nurses, and the digital tools that connect them. That is how we build resilience.

Through our new Center for Primary Health Care, Africa CDC is supporting countries to redesign their systems around accessibility, equity, and innovation.

Self-reliance begins with strong primary health care. It is the most cost-effective way to achieve universal health coverage and protect Africa’s populations.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.