Who Holds the Record · country brief · data as of 2026-10-01Who holds the health record in Lesotho?
In 2026, Lesotho scores 35 of 100 on a person's right to see, control and share their own health record: rank 119= of 196 countries (likely range 96 to 155), in the Weak band (25 to 44). Who holds the keys: Institutional. Source: Who Holds the Record, SuperTruth, data as of 2026-10-01.
Lesotho's 2012 data protection law has no regulator, and only HIV and TB care runs on a shared electronic record.
Published · updated · data as of 2026-10-01 · research tool, not legal advice
Can I get my health records in Lesotho?
Access to the full record scores 35 of 100 in Lesotho, against a median of 43 across 196 countries. Section 26 of the Data Protection Act gives a right to get your data, but at a prescribed fee and within a prescribed time, and the regulator meant to enforce it was never set up. There is no patient portal.
Can I control who sees my health record in Lesotho?
Control and consent scores 30 of 100 in Lesotho, against a median of 30 across 196 countries. Providers may process health data without consent for treatment and running the facility, and there is no sharing setting or access log a patient can use. Insurers may assess risk with health data unless the person has objected.
Eight rights, against Angola, Burundi, Burkina Faso and the EU
| Patient access to the full record20% | 35 | 35 · 40 · 35 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patient control and consent20% | 30 | 30 · 28 · 32 | |
| Privacy and security15% | 45 | 52 · 45 · 48 | |
| Connected care journey15% | 30 | 22 · 30 · 25 | |
| Protection from commercial use10% | 40 | 50 · 40 · 45 | |
| Clinician access at the point of care10% | 30 | 20 · 22 · 20 | |
| Research and trial consent5% | 49 | 50 · 50 · 49 | |
| Clinical AI governance5% | 28 | 28 · 20 · 30 |
Black dot: Lesotho. Hollow dots: Angola, Burundi, Burkina Faso (scores on the right, same order). Grey line: median of all 196 countries. Dashed teal line: EU median. Overall: Lesotho 35, EU median 61. Scores move in steps of about 5; read the rank with its likely range.
What would Lesotho need to change to score higher?
Lesotho sits in Weak (25 to 44); Mixed starts at 45. The two rights furthest below the 196-country median, weighted, are patient access to the full record (35, median 43) and connected care journey (30, median 38). The published rubric reads:
- Patient access to the full record: A national portal showing at least part of the record (summary, prescriptions, labs) to most residents puts access at 60 to 75; a near-full record with export, long history and majority use, 76 to 90.
- Connected care journey: Primary care, hospitals, labs, pharmacy, claims and public health linked to one record and used at national scale.
Which laws give health record rights in Lesotho?
- Data Protection Act, 2011 (Act No. 5 of 2012) (2012): Health is sensitive data; access, correction and marketing objection rights; breach notice; Commission never established.
- Lesotho Medicines and Medical Devices Control Authority Act, 2023 (Act No. 6 of 2023) (2023): Creates a regulator for medicines and medical devices and clinical trials; in force from 1 March 2026.
- Artificial Intelligence Policy (policy, not law) (2026): Notes no AI-specific regulation exists; assigns AI oversight to sector regulators through future legislation.
Strain and split context, not scored
- Doctors per 10,000
- 1.8 2024
- Nurses and midwives per 10,000
- 34.0 2024
- Private insurance + out-of-pocket
- unknown
- Record reaches private care?
- unknown
Published stories
- 2025-11-05 · Lesotho Times Former miners say missing cross-border records leave them unable to prove claims
- 2025-10-13 · MNN Centre for Investigative Journalism Former miner says a work-related medical certification was kept from him for years
Questions, corrections or a briefing: supertruth.ai/on-the-record#contact · Full index: whoholds.supertruth.ai