Terms of Reference: Consultant to facilitate validation workshop and consultations on the Africa Continental Health Data Governance Framework

Details of work required: Transform Health in partnership with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is recruiting a consultant to lead the facilitation of a workshop to validate an African Continental Health Data Governance Framework, as well a multistakeholder consultation to provide feedback. 

Expected duration: This work should be carried out between August and September 2026 (6-7 days)

A. Background

As Africa accelerates digitalisation of health systems, increasing reliance on health information exchanges, surveillance systems, artificial intelligence, genomics, and cross-border data sharing has exposed persistent governance gaps related to privacy, interoperability, legal safeguards, ethical oversight, cybersecurity, and sovereignty. These gaps continue to undermine public trust, delay evidence-based decision-making, and weaken regional coordination during outbreaks and public health emergencies.

Africa CDC is an autonomous health institution of the Africa Union charged with the responsibility of promoting the prevention and control of diseases in Africa. In response the abovementioned, Africa CDC has developed the Draft African Continental Health Data Governance Framework (ACHDGF) as a strategic legal and policy instrument to guide Member States in establishing secure, ethical, interoperable, and sovereign health data governance systems across the continent. The Framework responds directly to Africa CDC’s statutory mandate under Article 5 to facilitate access to critical information, improve data quality, strengthen interoperable systems, and ensure timely dissemination of information for disease prevention, surveillance, emergency preparedness, and health security. It also advances Pillar 4 of the Africa Health Security and Sovereignty agenda by promoting digital transformations, data-driven decision-making, and strengthened health information systems across the continent.

To validate the Framework with AU Member States, with the view to facilitate its consideration and adoption at the AU Summit in 2027, Africa CDC, in collaboration with Transform Health, will convene a 3-day continental validation workshop from 1-3 September 2026 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This workshop will bring together Member States and strategic partners to review, refine, and validate the draft Framework before submission to the Africa CDC Governing Board and AU Policy Organs. The desired impact is to secure Member State ownership, technical validation, and continental consensus on a harmonised framework that strengthens sovereign health data governance while enabling secure and trusted cross-border collaboration. A virtual multistakeholder technical consultation on the draft Framework will also be carried out to capture expert input from a wider network of stakeholders.

B. Scope of work

In support of this work, Transform Health, in partnership with Africa CDC, is seeking to recruit a consultant to lead the facilitation of the validation workshop and multistakeholder consultation. This will include the following key activities:

• • Review and ensure a thorough understanding of the purpose, content and expected use of the draft Continental Health Data Governance Framework.
  • Co-create the validation workshop programme agenda with Africa CDC, Transform Health and the legal consultant, including the format of the workshop, agenda, workshop objectives, guiding questions and expected outputs of each session, overall expected outcomes of the workshop, roles and responsibilities, etc.  
  • Lead the overall facilitation of the validation workshop taking place 1-3 September, 2026 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, including guiding facilitators of breakout discussions.
  • Lead the overall facilitation of the virtual multistakeholder technical consultation in mid-September.
  • Review and provide further inputs to the summary reports from the validation workshop and consultation (reports are being prepared by the legal consultant).

This work will be largely carried out remotely, with travel to the validation workshop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Travel expenses will be included in the consultant’s remuneration.

C. Key deliverables and deadlines

D. Profile and experience

We are looking for a consultant with demonstrated expertise in designing and facilitating high-level workshops involving government, development partners, civil society, and other key stakeholders. The consultant should have experience in digital health, data governance, health data governance or related policy areas, with a proven ability to facilitate strategic discussions, build consensus, and guide participants towards actionable recommendations and agreed next steps.

The consultant should possess excellent facilitation, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills, as well as strong analytical and report-writing abilities to synthesise workshop discussions into clear outputs and recommendations. Experience supporting government-led planning or policy processes and working in Africa is highly desirable. Preference will be given to a consultant with demonstrated experience facilitating national or regional policy dialogues in Africa.

E. Application process 

To apply, please submit the following to hr@transformhealthcoalition.org by 23:59 CET on 19 July: 

• • Your CV and cover letter outlining your experience relevant to this consultancy.
  • Your proposed daily rate, number of days for the assignment, and total budget.

Recruitment timeline:

• • Deadline to submit applications: 19 July 2026 (23:59 CET)  
  • Consultancy start date: ~1 August 2026 

F. Contract details and terms

• • Consultancy period: ~1 August – 30 September 2026 
  • Available budget for this assignment is approximately $3000 – $6,000 (including travel, per diem and accommodation if based outside of Addis Ababa) 
  • Remuneration will be based on experience and proposal 

Transform Health is a global coalition of more than 230 organisations dedicated to achieving universal health coverage (UHC) by 2030 by harnessing digital technology and the use of data. We bring partners and networks together, leveraging our shared experience and expertise, to shape policy agendas, influence decision makers, develop tools, provide technical support to governments and others, and conduct research and analysis to deliver health for all in the digital age.