Enhancing Integrated Research and Healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa through Digital Innovation and Artificial Intelligence (HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2026-03-DIGIT-02)

The Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking, under Horizon Europe, has launched a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) aimed at strengthening integrated research and healthcare systems across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) through the adoption of digital health technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The call seeks multinational research consortia that can accelerate the implementation and scale-up of validated digital health innovations, improve interoperability of electronic health records, strengthen digital health capacity, and enhance evidence-based healthcare decision-making across the region.

Rather than funding the development of entirely new technologies, this opportunity focuses on expanding, coordinating and integrating proven digital health solutions that improve infectious disease prevention, diagnosis, surveillance, treatment and epidemic preparedness.

Projects should align with continental strategies including:

• WHO Global Strategy on Digital Health
• African Union Digital Health Framework
• Africa CDC Digital Transformation Strategy

Funding Information

• Programme: Horizon Europe
• Joint Undertaking: Global Health EDCTP3
• Call: HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2026-03
• Topic Reference:
  HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2026-03-DIGIT-02
• Action Type:
  Coordination and Support Action (CSA)
• Grant Type:
  Horizon Europe Lump Sum Grant
• Total Call Budget:
  €18 million
• Indicative Grant Size:
  Approximately €2.25 million per project
• Expected Projects Funded:
  Approximately 8

Areas of Focus

Applicants should develop collaborative initiatives that strengthen digital health systems through:

• Artificial Intelligence in healthcare
• Digital health records
• Electronic health record interoperability
• Machine learning applications
• Digital epidemic preparedness
• Infectious disease surveillance
• Bioinformatics
• Digital clinical decision support
• Digital public health systems
• Digital health policy
• Health data governance
• Capacity building in digital health
• Knowledge sharing across SSA

Expected Outcomes

Projects should contribute to at least two of the following:

• Scale validated digital health innovations nationally or regionally
• Improve interoperability of electronic health records
• Develop sustainable digital health integration roadmaps
• Increase digital health expertise across sub-Saharan Africa
• Strengthen AI and bioinformatics capacity
• Improve healthcare delivery through digital transformation

Consortium Requirements

Eligible proposals must include:

• At least three independent legal entities
• Each established in a different eligible country
• At least one organisation from an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country that is also an EDCTP Association member
• At least one organisation established in a sub-Saharan African EDCTP member country

Strong participation from sub-Saharan African institutions is strongly encouraged.

The call specifically encourages:

• Governments
• Universities
• Research institutes
• Hospitals
• Public health organisations
• Healthcare providers
• Digital health innovators
• AI researchers
• Private sector technology partners

Projects should also involve institutions from countries with lower research capacity to promote equitable regional development.

Eligible Countries

European Union Member States

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

Horizon Europe Associated Countries

United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Israel, Canada, Republic of Korea, Türkiye, Ukraine, Tunisia, Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, New Zealand, Kosovo, Faroe Islands, Serbia and others listed under Horizon Europe association arrangements.

EDCTP sub-Saharan African Member Countries

South Africa

Kenya

Uganda

Tanzania

Rwanda

Ethiopia

Nigeria

Ghana

Cameroon

Zambia

Zimbabwe

Malawi

Namibia

Mozambique

Senegal

Mali

Benin

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Côte d'Ivoire

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Republic of the Congo

Eswatini

Gabon

The Gambia

Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Conakry

Liberia

Niger

Sierra Leone

Somalia

Who Should Apply

This opportunity is suitable for:

• Universities
• Research institutions
• Medical research organisations
• Public health agencies
• Ministries of Health
• Digital health innovators
• AI developers
• Bioinformatics centres
• Clinical research organisations
• Technology companies
• Healthcare providers
• Regional health networks

Important Dates

Application Deadline:
2 September 2026
17:00 Brussels Time

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