Regulatory Framework for eHealth Data Policies in Zimbabwe: Measuring FAIR Equivalency

Abstract

The FAIR Guidelines – that data should be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR) – aim to improve the management of digital data assets for improved decision making. FAIR comprises 15 elements (called facets) that explain how data should be able to be reused by researchers and policymakers. For this research, eight policy documents were reviewed from Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) from 1999 to 2020. These were scrutinised to determine the mention of the FAIR Guidelines or FAIR Equivalent principles. The vision, mission statement and objectives of these documents were analysed relative to the 15 facets of FAIR. The research found that none of the policy documents in health/eHealth or ICT in Zimbabwe explicitly mention the FAIR Guidelines, but all contain some FAIR Equivalent principles. Hence, the regulatory framework for health/eHealth data management in Zimbabwe is aligned with the FAIR Guidelines and, therefore, a policy window is open for the adoption of FAIR Guidelines in relation to health/eHealth data management.