Incident response in cybersecurity extends far beyond basic damage control; it is foundational to the resilience of health systems. Especially within global health, the purpose of incident response is to detect, contain, mitigate, recover from, and learn from cybersecurity incidents. This proactive approach protects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive health information. By aiming to minimize operational impact and financial loss, maintain compliance with data protection laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and ensure the continuity of essential health services, incident response helps organizations swiftly detect root causes, restore systems, and safeguard their reputation. Ultimately, effective incident response is essential to sustaining the trust and reliability that are central to digital health initiatives.

Objectives of this guide

• Enhance cybersecurity readiness: Provide a structured, cost-effective framework tailored to African health settings to help health teams detect, contain, and recover from cyber threats using local tools and skills.
• Facilitate ownership and sustainability: Enable Ministries of Health and local stakeholders with the resources to manage and safeguard TAP-developed systems (EMRs, NDRs, Patient Identity Management Systems) as they transition to full ownership.
• Protect health data and services: Implement practical, context-specific measures to minimize service disruptions and ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive health information, including scenario-based planning for contextual infrastructure limitations.
• Standardize and localize incident response: Establish a consistent, adaptable approach to managing cyber incidents aligned with global best practices and local realities.
• Promote long-term resilience: Foster a security-first culture that strengthens institutional capacity and ensures the sustainability of national digital health assets through community-driven security awareness programs.