Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are plagued by weak primary healthcare systems and poor digital infrastructure. No digital health records exist for individuals in Sub-Saharan Africa. The result is centralised datasets and trusted resources for patients and investigators are sparse, fragmented, and not shared among the communities they are meant to serve. Data management platforms to create a unified health record through data ingestion and to provide data governance to store, manage, share, find and use data critical for the implementation of AI in healthcare are beyond reach for LMICs. This ultimately costs lives and precludes LMICs from participating in innovative R&D and realising benefits in the full potential of technological advances in healthcare.

The impact of digital technologies on the lives of women and girls, particularly in relation to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), must be placed at the start of the effort to avoid the structurally flawed approach that over time leads to a proliferation of data silos. Under such conditions the collection, storage, and use of personal health data may happen without adequate consent or even awareness. Unauthorised access and use may have harmful consequences for individuals, particularly for women and girls. Further, the deployment of algorithms without transparency and accountability can perpetuate bias and discrimination, amplifying existing health disparities. Lastly, implementation must support related products and services for the assured provision of such products and services.

ElleHealth enables the collection of comprehensive patient data, while preserving privacy, ensuring security, and placing the patient in full control where patients themselves contribute directly to health information. Together with implementation partners the application is deployed in support of next generation electronic patient health records as the basis for the future provision of precision, individual, AI based healthcare services.