WHO Launches IRIS Platform to Boost African Healthcare Analytics
Africa, Saturday, 19 April 2025.
The WHO’s IRIS platform, launched by its Regional Office for Africa, aims to enhance healthcare through data analytics, supporting vibrant communities with informed insights, despite unspecified launch details.
Regional Implementation and Impact
The IRIS platform’s rollout comes at a crucial time for African healthcare systems, with WHO actively supporting 18 nations including Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, and Mozambique in strengthening their healthcare infrastructure [1]. The platform aims to enhance data-driven decision-making across these regions, with particular focus on supporting vaccination campaigns and health system transformation projects. In Ethiopia, the system is already supporting catch-up vaccination efforts, while in South Sudan, it’s being integrated into the Health Sector Transformation Project [2].
Data-Driven Healthcare Initiatives
A significant early application of the IRIS platform is supporting the landmark polio vaccination campaign launched on April 17, 2025, targeting 83 million children in the Lake Chad Basin [2]. This initiative demonstrates the platform’s capability to coordinate large-scale public health interventions through improved data analytics. The system’s implementation comes as WHO data shows varying health challenges across African regions, with some areas showing promising improvements in healthcare delivery [3].
Addressing Healthcare Worker Safety
The IRIS platform also incorporates critical safety monitoring features, addressing a pressing concern in African healthcare delivery. Current global statistics indicate that between 8% and 38% of health workers experience physical violence during their careers [5]. By improving data collection and analysis capabilities, the platform enables better tracking and response to security incidents, while supporting evidence-based interventions to protect healthcare workers [5].