From Vision to Action: Inside Uganda’s New HDG Roadmap

In our last post, we shared the vision for a trusted digital health ecosystem in Uganda. Now, let’s explore the practical plan to get us there: The Uganda National Health Data Governance Implementation Roadmap.
This roadmap is a strategic guide for all national stakeholders, detailing the work from September 2025 through 2028. The plan is broken into two main parts.

The Foundational Workplan (September – December 2025)

First, a 4-month foundational workplan is kicking off to build momentum. Led by a HELINA Country Lead consultancy, this initial phase is focused on rapid action:

• Drafting core documents, including a national Policy Brief and the full Implementation Roadmap.
• Engaging key stakeholders across government, civil society, and the private sector.
• Building political will and consensus to drive this vital national agenda forward.

The Long-Term Action Plan (2026-2028)

With this foundation in place, a long-term plan will guide sustained national implementation. This plan is built on five key Strategic Objectives:

• 1. Legislative & Regulatory Modernization: Amending existing laws to address the unique needs of health data, clarify patient consent, and establish rules for data sharing.
• 2. Coordinated Institutional Strengthening: Establishing clear national leadership, including a dedicated HDG Unit within the Ministry of Health and a multi-stakeholder National HDG Steering Committee.
• 3. Standardization & Interoperability: Developing and enforcing national standards so that different health data systems can communicate and exchange data seamlessly and securely.
• 4. Capacity Building & Public Trust: Rolling out national training for health and IT staff, while also conducting public awareness campaigns on data rights to build and maintain trust.
• 5. Sustainable Resourcing & Partnerships: Securing long-term, sustainable financing for HDG by making it a dedicated part of the government’s budget.

A Call to Action: This Is a National Effort

This roadmap’s success depends on broad stakeholder ownership—it must be “Uganda’s plan”.
We are calling on all partners to join this effort: the Ministry of Health, Parliament, regulatory bodies like NITA-U, our core partners at the Uganda Health Informatics Association (UgHIA), civil society groups, and our development partners.
The work launching now is the cornerstone for a more secure, efficient, and trusted digital health future. We invite you to follow our progress and engage with us in this vital national endeavor.