  Data are essential in developing healthcare artificial intelligence (AI)
systems. However, patient data collection, access, and use raise ethical
concerns, including informed consent, data bias, data protection and privacy,
data ownership, and benefit sharing. Various ethical frameworks have been
proposed to ensure the ethical use of healthcare data and AI, however, these
frameworks often align with Western cultural values, social norms, and
institutional contexts emphasizing individual autonomy and well-being. Ethical
guidelines must reflect political and cultural settings to account for cultural
diversity, inclusivity, and historical factors such as colonialism. Thus, this
paper discusses healthcare data ethics in the AI era in Africa from the Ubuntu
philosophy perspective. It focuses on the contrast between individualistic and
communitarian approaches to data ethics. The proposed framework could inform
stakeholders, including AI developers, healthcare providers, the public, and
policy-makers about healthcare data ethical usage in AI in Africa.
