Brazzaville —To strengthen health systems and help protect people from economic strain when seeking care, the World Health Organization (WHO) in the African Region and the African Union Institute for Statistics (STATAFRIC) are deepening collaboration to improve how countries measure health spending and monitor financial protection.  

By enhancing health data quality, this partnership is helping governments make informed decisions to ensure resources are used where they matter the most, advancing towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

A series of trainings organized by WHO and STATAFRIC are equipping countries with the practical skills to compile and interpret National Health Accounts (NHA) using the System of Health Accounts (SHA 2011) framework. This global standard provides a clear picture of health spending and supports more responsive, people-centred health systems.

To build these skills, a three-day workshop took place in Accra, Ghana, in September 2024. Representatives from 18 Anglophone Member States joined technical experts and international partners to explore how to harmonize health expenditure reporting and improve collaboration between national statistical offices and ministries of health.

Participants discussed global health-spending trends, exchanged country experiences and identified pathways to strengthen institutional coordination, highlighting both shared challenges and opportunities for stronger collaboration to develop harmonized data standards for Africa.

“By speaking a common statistical language, African countries can better understand where and how resources are used and how to channel them to protect their populations,” said Dr José Awong Alene, Head of the Statistical Systems Coordination and Innovation Division at STATAFRIC.

Following the Accra workshop, a second sub-regional training convened in Dakar, Senegal, from 14 to 17 October 2025. Co-organized with the World Bank, the workshop gathered experts from 25 francophone countries to strengthen skills in monitoring financial protection in health, including analysing household survey data to identify when health costs become a barrier to care.

Using STATA, a software that helps analyse large sets of data, the groups reflected on what the numbers reflect about access to care. Real examples and policy discussions underscored how clearer and disaggregated data can help countries understand who is most at risk of financial hardship and use this information to support more equitable health decisions.

“In Africa, millions of families still face financial hardship due to health spending. Reliable, comparable data are essential to guide policies that ensure no one is left behind,” noted Dr Mady Ba, WHO Representative in Senegal.  

In 2026, the collaboration will expand with two additional workshops for francophone and anglophone countries. These sessions aim to help countries translate stronger data into stronger policies, reinforcing the connection between health financing information, policy and action. This initiative aligns with the African Union’s Strategy for the Harmonization of Statistics in Africa (SHaSA 2) and Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want, while supporting progress towards SDG 3.8 on universal health coverage and financial protection.  

“Reliable data are the backbone of effective health systems. Through this collaboration with STATAFRIC, we are empowering countries to produce and use credible evidence that drives smarter investments, strengthens accountability and ultimately improves people’s lives,” emphasized Dr Adelheid Werimo Onyango, Director of the Health Systems and Services Cluster, WHO Regional Office for Africa.

This joint effort equips countries with the tools they need to generate trusted, comparable statistics to inform evidence-based decision-making, increase domestic investment in health and accelerate progress toward Universal Health Coverage. It also reflects the One African Approach to Data, bringing regional and global institutions together to ensure every country has the capacity to measure what truly counts: people’s health and well-being.

About STATAFRIC 
The African Union Institute for Statistics (STATAFRIC) leads the coordination and harmonization of statistical systems across the continent. It works closely with regional and international organizations to ensure Africa-wide comparability and quality of data for monitoring the Agenda 2063 and the SDGs.