{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,7]],"date-time":"2026-08-07T14:47:51Z","timestamp":1786114071862,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"JMIR Publications Inc.","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JMIR Med Inform"],"abstract":"\n Background<\/jats:title>\n Recent crises involving zoonotic diseases (Ebola, COVID-19, and Mpox) have highlighted the limitations of fragmented public health systems for the prevention and response to health emergencies at the international and continental level, and particularly in Africa, more specifically in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In this context, the One Health (OH) approach and its extension, One Digital Health (ODH), articulated with the findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable (FAIR) principles, offer a framework for rethinking the digital transition in health in the DRC. This study analyzes the reality of this transition in Kinshasa, DRC, and questions the feasibility of ODH in this context.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Objective<\/jats:title>\n This study aimed to (1) explore how stakeholders across human, animal, and environmental health sectors perceive and experience digital tool integration and data interoperability in Kinshasa; (2) identify structural, institutional, and technical constraints affecting cross-sectoral data sharing; and (3) analyze the sociotechnical conditions required for the operationalization of ODH in a fragmented digital health (DH) context.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n A qualitative study was conducted in Kinshasa, DRC, between November 10, 2025, and November 25, 2025, combining semistructured interviews with key actors (health professionals, administrative officials, digital experts, and engaged citizens) and a document review of strategic and regulatory texts related to DH in the DRC. The data were analyzed using a thematic approach to identify the representations, uses, and constraints related to DH and the operationalization of ODH.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n Overall, 22 stakeholders participated (n=9, 40.9% human health; n=8, 36.4% animal health; n=4, 18.2% environmental health; n=1, 4.50% digital sector), predominantly male (n=15, 68.2%) and mainly in operational roles (n=12, 54.5%). Three interrelated topics emerged. First, a dual-track digital ecosystem characterized by the coexistence of formal platforms (eg, District Health Information Software 2 and electronic records) and informal tools (eg, WhatsApp [Meta]), with persistent paper-digital double-entry generating inefficiencies. Second, structural and governance bottlenecks, including electricity instability, limited connectivity, software incompatibility, external data-hosting concerns that affect sovereignty, and institutional silos that privilege human health over animal and environmental sectors. Third, prerequisites for operationalizing ODH emphasize foundational infrastructure (energy and internet), sustainable capacity building beyond one-off training, interoperable \u201cbridges\u201d between fragmented systems, and high-level political leadership. These elements were synthesized into an ODH-FAIR DRC conceptual model structured around three enabling pillars linking sectors for integrated zoonotic surveillance.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n Operationalizing ODH in DRC requires addressing foundational enablers beyond tools: synchronized energy-digital policies, decompartmentalized governance, and context-adapted capacity building. These insights inform low- and middle-income countries\u2019 DH strategies, urging donors and ministries to prioritize interoperability over isolated pilots to achieve sustainable zoonotic surveillance.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.2196\/93321","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,17]],"date-time":"2026-07-17T15:30:08Z","timestamp":1784302208000},"page":"e93321","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Operationalizing One Digital Health and FAIR Data Principles for Disease Surveillance in a Low-Medium Income Country in Africa: Qualitative Study in the Democratic Republic of the Congo"],"prefix":"10.2196","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-2397-0574","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Harvey","family":"Basivikidi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-1831-0291","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lefilso'o","family":"Lambuku","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-9757-9562","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Delphin","family":"Kayembe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9125-8300","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Arriel","family":"Benis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-4026-7566","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Didier","family":"Bompangue","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1010","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S2214-109X(24)00129-3"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sciaf.2022.e01513"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMoa2411368"},{"key":"ref4","unstructured":"Climate change 2022, impacts, adaptation and vulnerabilityIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)20222026-07-21https:\/\/www.ipcc.ch\/report\/ar6\/wg2\/"},{"key":"ref5","unstructured":"World cities report 2022: envisaging the future of citiesUnited Nations Digital Library20222025-07-21https:\/\/digitallibrary.un.org\/record\/3984713?ln=en&v=pdf"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/ofid\/ofaf310"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3406\/bavf.2023.71063"},{"key":"ref8","unstructured":"Boosting digital health can help prevent millions of deaths from noncommunicable diseasesWorld Health Organization20242026-01-22https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/kbvzc6vw"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s44401-025-00029-0"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4314\/rasp.v6i3.5"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7189\/jogh.12.04090"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/itdj.20016"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/22189"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3233\/SHTI210812"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2022.768977"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/sdata.2016.18"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1055\/a-1938-0533"},{"key":"ref18","unstructured":"VerbekeFPlan national de d\u00e9veloppement de l'Informatique de sant\u00e9 en RDC, 2020-2024Figshare2026-06-12https:\/\/figshare.com\/articles\/book\/PNDIS_II_RDC_-_2020-2024_valid_pdf\/12894956"},{"key":"ref19","unstructured":"Appuyer l'utilisation efficace des donn\u00e9es de sant\u00e9 en r\u00e9publique d\u00e9mocratique du congo avec DHIS2HISP\/UiO, MSP-RDC2025-12-29https:\/\/dhis2.org\/fr\/drc-data-use\/"},{"key":"ref20","unstructured":"Plan national strat\u00e9gique de d\u00e9veloppement 2024-2028 [Report in French]Minist\u00e8re du Plan & CAD2026-07-21https:\/\/plan.gouv.cd\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/PNSD-2024-2028-V41.pdf"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.12856\/JHIA-2019-v6-i1-239"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.53730\/ijhs.v9n1.15543"},{"key":"ref23","unstructured":"Direction Surveillance Epid\u00e9miologiqueGuide technique SIMR 3e \u00e9dition RDCScribd20192026-07-21https:\/\/fr.scribd.com\/document\/663567695\/GUIDE-SIMR-3d-Ed-20-08-2020-VF"},{"key":"ref24","year":"2018","journal-title":"Guide technique pour la surveillance int\u00e9gr\u00e9e des maladies animales et riposte (SIMAR)"},{"key":"ref25","unstructured":"GDP per capita (current US$) - Congo, Dem RepWorld Bank2026-02-02https:\/\/data.worldbank.org\/indicator\/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD?locations=CD"},{"key":"ref26","unstructured":"Observatoire du marche de la telephonie mobile: rapport du 2eme trimestre 2025 [Web Page in French]Autorit\u00e9 de R\u00e9gulation de la Poste et des T\u00e9l\u00e9communications du Congo20252026-01-12https:\/\/arptc.gouv.cd\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/T2-25_Rapport_ARPTC_29-OCT-2025.pdf"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/jmir.8.2.e9"},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/30036540"},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.onehlt.2024.100934"},{"key":"ref30","first-page":"690","author":"Patton, MQ","year":"2002","journal-title":"Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1744987120927206"},{"key":"ref32","unstructured":"Zoom2026-07-21https:\/\/www.zoom.com\/"},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/16094069221090063"},{"key":"ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/14604582241287010"},{"key":"ref35","unstructured":"Plan national du num\u00e9rique - Horizon 2025 [Web page in French]Pr\u00e9sidence de la R\u00e9publique D\u00e9mocratique du Congo20192026-07-21https:\/\/www.presidence.cd\/services\/1\/plan_national_du_numerique_horizon_2025"},{"key":"ref36","unstructured":"Plan strategique Une sant\u00e9 2022 - 2027 [Report in French]One Health Commission2026-07-21https:\/\/www.onehealthcommission.org\/documents\/filelibrary\/resources\/one_health_strategic_action_plans\/DRC_Plan_strategique_OH_2022_2027_V_A7DD55BE78847.pdf?"},{"key":"ref37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1191\/1478088706qp063oa"},{"key":"ref38","author":"Miles, MB","year":"2013","journal-title":"Qualitative Data Analysis: A Methods Sourcebook"},{"key":"ref39","unstructured":"NVivoLumivero20262026-07-21https:\/\/lumivero.com\/products\/nvivo\/"},{"key":"ref40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/249008"},{"key":"ref41","author":"Lincoln, YS","year":"1985","journal-title":"Naturalistic Inquiry"},{"key":"ref42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/intqhc\/mzm042"},{"key":"ref43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4314\/ahs.v22i1.77"},{"key":"ref44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.14236\/jhi.v13i2.585"},{"key":"ref45","unstructured":"Rapport d'evaluation de la pr\u00e9paration \u00e0 i'Intelligence artificielle - R\u00e9publique D\u00e9mocratique Du Congo [Report in French]UNESCO20252026-07-21https:\/\/unesdoc.unesco.org\/ark:\/48223\/pf0000396494"},{"key":"ref46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.prevetmed.2010.07.003"},{"key":"ref47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(10)60450-3"},{"key":"ref48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/14604582251383803"}],"container-title":["JMIR Medical Informatics"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/medinform.jmir.org\/2026\/1\/e93321","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,5]],"date-time":"2026-08-05T20:20:12Z","timestamp":1785961212000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/medinform.jmir.org\/2026\/1\/e93321"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,5]]},"references-count":48,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2196\/93321","relation":{"has-preprint":[{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.2196\/preprints.93321","asserted-by":"object"}]},"ISSN":["2291-9694"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2291-9694","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,5]]}}}