Who Holds the Record · country brief · data as of 2026-10-01Who holds the health record in Zambia?
In 2026, Zambia scores 41 of 100 on a person's right to see, control and share their own health record: rank 90= of 196 countries (likely range 66 to 112), in the Weak band (25 to 44). Who holds the keys: State. Source: Who Holds the Record, SuperTruth, data as of 2026-10-01.
A government-run national health record now reaches most public clinics, but patients have no portal, no opt-out and no view of who opened their file.
Published · updated · data as of 2026-10-01 · research tool, not legal advice
Can I get my health records in Zambia?
Access to the full record scores 45 of 100 in Zambia, against a median of 43 across 196 countries. The Data Protection Act 2021 gives a right to a copy, which may be free for the first copy and comes in electronic format on request, but sets no deadline. We found no patient portal, so people ask each facility.
Can I control who sees my health record in Zambia?
Control and consent scores 30 of 100 in Zambia, against a median of 30 across 196 countries. Health data may be processed without consent for care and for managing health systems, and the national SmartCare record is shared across public facilities by default. We found no patient opt-out and no patient-visible access log.
Eight rights, against Mauritius, Tanzania, Malawi and the EU
| Patient access to the full record20% | 45 | 50 · 35 · 50 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patient control and consent20% | 30 | 32 · 30 · 30 | |
| Privacy and security15% | 48 | 55 · 48 · 50 | |
| Connected care journey15% | 45 | 30 · 48 · 40 | |
| Protection from commercial use10% | 45 | 45 · 45 · 42 | |
| Clinician access at the point of care10% | 40 | 30 · 40 · 30 | |
| Research and trial consent5% | 50 | 49 · 46 · 49 | |
| Clinical AI governance5% | 30 | 28 · 58 · 25 |
Black dot: Zambia. Hollow dots: Mauritius, Tanzania, Malawi (scores on the right, same order). Grey line: median of all 196 countries. Dashed teal line: EU median. Overall: Zambia 41, EU median 61. Scores move in steps of about 5; read the rank with its likely range.
What would Zambia need to change to score higher?
Zambia sits in Weak (25 to 44); Mixed starts at 45. The two rights furthest below the 196-country median, weighted, are patient control and consent (30, median 30) and protection from commercial use (45, median 45). The published rubric reads:
- Patient control and consent: An opt-out or opt-in, a patient-visible access log and granular choices together put control at 60 to 80.
- Protection from commercial use: Clear limits on selling health data or using it for marketing, covering apps and data brokers as well as providers.
Which laws give health record rights in Zambia?
- Data Protection Act No. 3 of 2021 (2021): Health is sensitive data; access, objection and portability rights; 24-hour breach notice; local storage of sensitive data.
- National Health Research Act No. 2 of 2013 (2013): Ethics approval, participant consent, sample transfer rules and misconduct penalties for health research.
- Cyber Security Act, 2025 (2025): Creates a Cyber Security Agency, critical information infrastructure rules and a monitoring centre; replaces the 2021 Act.
Strain and split context, not scored
- Doctors per 10,000
- 1.6 2024
- Nurses and midwives per 10,000
- 16.7 2024
- Private insurance + out-of-pocket
- 10.4% 2023
- Record reaches private care?
- unknown
Published stories
- 2024-12-10 · High Court for Zambia (Judiciary of Zambia) Court finds a hospital form was corrected improperly but rules the error harmless
- 2026-05 · National Assembly of Zambia, Public Accounts Committee (report on the Auditor General's 2024 accounts) Health ministry staff shared passwords to the national patient record system
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