Deadline: 10-Jul-23
WHO/Europe has issued an open call for applications to join its newly launched Strategic Partners’ Initiative for Data and Digital Health (SPI-DDH) to representatives of Member States in the WHO European Region; intergovernmental, governmental and nongovernmental organizations; WHO collaborating centres for data and digital health; philanthropic foundations; the private sector; and academic institutions.
Digital health technologies have immense potential to revolutionize health care, empower individuals and improve people’s health. The COVID-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst, accelerating the adoption of these technologies and highlighting their significance in providing accessible and efficient care, as well as their ability to reach people in rural and remote locations.
Digital technologies also play a crucial role in generating and utilizing health data. The availability of large amounts of data allows for more accurate diagnoses, personalized treatment plans and evidence-based decision-making. By leveraging data analytics and artificial intelligence, health-care providers can better treat and prevent health conditions.
Objectives
- Key objectives of the SPI-DDH include:
- identifying actions to improve the uptake of safe and equitable digital health in countries;
- supporting collaborations that promote solidarity in digital health care;
- providing an independent “safe haven” for Member States to learn and engage with external partners in exploring data and digital health solutions;
- developing future scenarios for health-care delivery and data usage in the European Region that can be used to inform further transformation of health systems and reprofiling of the health workforce.
Working Groups
- The Regional digital health action plan for the WHO European Region 2023–2030 sets out four Strategic Objectives that will be used as the basis for identifying areas of collaboration that working groups of the SPI-DDH will examine.
- Working Group 1: Aligning Data and Digital Health implementation in countries – examining factors contributing to the successful digital transformation of European Health Systems.
- Working Group 2: Enhancing country capacities to better govern digital transformation in the health sector – examining approaches to strengthening countries’ capacity to finance, procure and govern data and digital health solutions as well as standard approaches for increasing digital literacy of the health workforce.
- Working Group 3: Collaboration between partners, stakeholders and the wider public to increase uptake of safe and inclusive digital health solutions – exploring successful approaches to publicprivate partnerships for data and digital health and evaluating regional networks for knowledge exchange.
- Working Group 4: Evidence for building trust and accountability in people-centred digital health environments – exploring methods for gathering evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness and trustworthiness of digital health solutions.
Eligibility Criteria
- WHO/Europe welcomes expressions of interest from the following entities:
- Member States of the WHO European Region, including governmental organizations, represented by ministers, senior representatives and officially nominated national and technical focal points for the Initiative;
- intergovernmental organizations, including United Nations agencies, the European Union and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD);
- WHO collaborating centres for data and digital health;
- non-state actors – nongovernmental organizations, philanthropic foundations, academic institutions and the private sector.
- Observers may be invited by the WHO Secretariat to exchange information and participate in meetings relevant to the implementation of the strategic priorities of the SPI-DDH.
For more information, visit WHO.