Health Record Rights Index · country brief · this country's data as of October 1, 2026
Who holds the health record in Sao Tome and Principe?
In 2026, Sao Tome and Principe scores 32 out of 100 for how much say a person has over their own health record. It is tied for 151st of 198 countries and territories, and could rank anywhere from 116th to 174th allowing for scoring error, in the Weak band (25 to 44). Who holds the keys: doctors, hospitals and insurers. Source: Health Record Rights Index, SuperTruth, this country's data as of October 1, 2026.
Doctors, hospitals and insurers decide. No right is above the typical country. The closest is privacy and security (45 out of 100, against 45 for the typical country). The furthest behind is doctors see it when treating you (17 out of 100, against 33 to 34 for the typical country).
Sao Tome and Principe has a 2016 data law and an elected regulator, but clinical records are still kept mostly on paper.
Published · updated · this country's data as of October 1, 2026 · research tool, not legal advice
overall score · Weak band, 25 to 44
32/100
rank among 198 countries and territories; likely 116th to 174th, allowing for scoring error
Low confidence. Thin evidence on 4 of the 8 rights: who sees it, joined-up record, sale and ads and research. The evidence grade rates all our sources together; confidence looks at each right. Neither changes the score.
Questions people ask
Can I see my health record in Sao Tome and Principe?
In 2026, getting your full record scores 35 out of 100 in Sao Tome and Principe; the typical country scores 40 to 45. The 2016 data law gives a right to obtain your data in intelligible form without excessive delay or cost, but health data must be seen through a doctor you choose. There is no patient portal, and records are mostly on paper. Source: DataGuidance copy, May 10, 2016, and the other sources below.
Who controls health records in Sao Tome and Principe?
In 2026, doctors, hospitals and insurers hold the keys to your health record in Sao Tome and Principe. Control over who sees it scores 28 out of 100 in Sao Tome and Principe; the typical country scores 30. Health data may be used for care without consent if a professional bound by secrecy handles it and the regulator is notified. There is no shared record, so patients have no sharing setting, opt-out or access log. Source: DataGuidance copy, May 10, 2016.
How does Sao Tome and Principe compare?
In 2026, Sao Tome and Principe scores 32 out of 100, against 39 for the typical country. This brief compares it with Comoros (32 out of 100), Equatorial Guinea (32 out of 100) and Central African Republic (33 out of 100). Source: the ranking of all 198 countries and territories.
Eight rights, compared with Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic and the typical country
Scores out of 100, by right
Getting your full record20%
35
35 · 40 · 40
Control over who sees it20%
28
28 · 28 · 28
Privacy and security15%
45
45 · 45 · 45
One record across your care15%
22
25 · 18 · 20
Protection from sale and ads10%
43
40 · 40 · 42
Doctors see it when treating you10%
17
15 · 15 · 15
Your say over research use5%
45
49 · 49 · 49
Rules for AI in your care5%
18
20 · 18 · 20
Black dot: Sao Tome and Principe. Hollow dots: Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic (scores out of 100 on the right, same order). Gray line: the typical country of all 198. Overall: Sao Tome and Principe 32 out of 100. Scores move in steps of about 5 points, so read a rank with its likely range.
What would Sao Tome and Principe need to change to score higher?
Sao Tome and Principe sits in Weak (25 to 44); Mixed starts at 45. Its two weakest rights, compared with the typical country and weighted by how much each counts, are one record across your care (22 out of 100, against 38 for the typical country) and doctors see it when treating you (17 out of 100, against 33 to 34 for the typical country). Our scoring rules give more points for:
One record across your care: Family doctors, hospitals, labs, pharmacies, insurers and public health all linked to one record that is used across the country.
Doctors see it when treating you: Doctors who treat you able to see your full record from other providers, with your consent and emergency rules in place.
Which laws give health record rights in Sao Tome and Principe?
Lei 03/2016, Protecção de Dados Pessoais: Health data is sensitive; access copy via a chosen doctor for health data; ANPDP notification; fines and crimes.
Lei 07/2017, Organisation and Functioning of the ANPDP: ANPDP is independent, with three members elected by two-thirds of deputies for five-year terms.
Lei 09/2018, Lei Base de Saúde: Users' right to confidentiality and information; confidential flow of clinical information; consent for drug trials.
Doctors, waits and private care context, not part of the score
Doctors per 10,000
4.6 2022
Nurses and midwives per 10,000
21.6 2022
Private insurance + out-of-pocket
16.8% 2023
Record reaches private care?
unknown
Real cases
July 11, 2026 · Rádio Somos Todos Primos (RSTP) Evacuated patient says official file wrongly lists a state subsidy she never received
In 2026, Sao Tome and Principe scored 32 out of 100 for how much say a person has over their own health record, tied for 151st of 198 countries and territories (could be 116th to 174th), in the Weak band. Who holds the keys: doctors, hospitals and insurers. Source: Health Record Rights Index, SuperTruth, this country's data as of October 1, 2026, https://healthrecordrights.com/brief/sao-tome-and-principe/
The 10 sources for Sao Tome and Principe
Each source appears once, under the first right it supports. Titles are shown as our research agents recorded them, usually in the page's own language; text in square brackets is our machine translation. Links were checked on the date shown.
Getting your full record (3 sources)
“Lei n.º 03/2016, Protecção de Dados Pessoais, Diário da República n.º 39” [Law No. 03/2016, Personal Data Protection, Diário da República No. 39] our machine translation
DataGuidance copy (law or regulation) · Title in Portuguese
Dated May 10, 2016 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
Used for: Getting your full record; Control over who sees it; Privacy and security; Protection from sale and ads; Your say over research use
“Lei n.º 09/2018, Lei Base de Saúde, Diário da República n.º 74” [Law No. 09/2018, Basic Health Law, Diário da República No. 74] our machine translation
Ministério da Saúde copy [Ministry of Health copy] (law or regulation) · Title in Portuguese
Dated June 6, 2018 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
Used for: Getting your full record; Doctors see it when treating you; Your say over research use; Rules for AI in your care
“Lei n.º 7/2017, Organização e Funcionamento da Agência Nacional de Protecção de Dados Pessoais, Diário da República n.º 40” [Law No. 7/2017, Organisation and Functioning of the National Agency for the Protection of Personal Data, Diário da República No. 40] our machine translation
RIPD copy (law or regulation) · Title in Portuguese
Dated April 6, 2017 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
“CNPD recebeu a Agência Nacional de Proteção de Dados Pessoais de São Tomé e Príncipe” [CNPD received the National Personal Data Protection Agency of São Tomé and Príncipe] our machine translation
CNPD Portugal (regulator) · Title in Portuguese
Dated June 23, 2025 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
“Estratégia de Cooperação com o País 2023-2027, São Tomé e Príncipe” [Country Cooperation Strategy 2023-2027, São Tomé and Príncipe] our machine translation
WHO, Ministério da Saúde copy [WHO, Ministry of Health copy] (international body) · Title in Portuguese
No date recorded · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
Used for: One record across your care; Your say over research use
“OMS São Tomé e Príncipe Boletim Informativo do 2º Trimestre, Abril a Junho 2026” [WHO São Tomé and Príncipe Newsletter for the 2nd Quarter, April to June 2026] our machine translation
WHO AFRO (international body) · Title in Portuguese
Dated September 2026 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
“Lançado o projeto-piloto sobre a Ética da inteligência Artificial em STP” [Pilot project on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence launched in STP] our machine translation
Téla Nón (news) · Title in Portuguese
Dated January 29, 2024 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
“PNUD inicia capacitação em Digitalização e Inteligência Artificial para a Administração Pública em STP” [UNDP begins training in Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence for the Public Administration in STP] our machine translation
RSTP (news) · Title in Portuguese
Dated April 22, 2026 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
SuperTruth Inc. · 24 S. 24th St., Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA · +1 215 918 4140 · supertruth.ai Something wrong? Tell us · Questions or a briefing: supertruth.ai/on-the-record#contact · Full index: healthrecordrights.com
OECD: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (38 mostly high-income countries). DTI™: the Data Trust Index, which grades the evidence behind each score. SuperTruth makes it and publishes this index. Everything here comes from public information: laws, government and regulator pages, court decisions, published news, WHO, OECD and World Bank data. Full sources: https://healthrecordrights.com/brief/sao-tome-and-principe/#sources. SuperTruth built this index and sells health data verification products; no one paid to be included. Research tool, not legal advice. Our scores and our own words are CC BY 4.0; quoted law and source titles stay with their owners.
