TLDR: The WHO Academy, in collaboration with the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), is actively enhancing digital health capacities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) through its ‘Digital Health: Planning for National Systems’ course. This initiative aims to equip ministry leaders and policymakers with the necessary skills to strategically guide national digital health transformations, ensuring equitable and sustainable healthcare systems.
Digital technologies, encompassing electronic medical records, telemedicine, artificial intelligence, and data-driven surveillance, are rapidly reshaping health systems worldwide. This transformation, however, presents a challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where digital initiatives frequently remain fragmented or misaligned with national priorities. Such disorganization risks exacerbating existing inequalities, widening the gap between urban and rural areas, and between well-resourced and underserved health facilities.
To address this critical issue, the WHO Academy is committed to strengthening the digital health capacities of its Member States. In partnership with the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), the WHO is delivering a specialized ‘Digital Health: Planning for National Systems’ course. This program targets Francophone countries across the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions, equipping ministry leaders and policymakers with the essential knowledge and tools to strategically guide the development of robust national digital health systems.
The course, which commenced with 60 technical experts from 16 countries, features a blended learning format. Participants engage in 12 hours of self-paced online learning over 12 weeks, complemented by 12 live 90-minute sessions that include interactive discussions, group work, and peer exchange. To date, the initiative has successfully empowered over 200 participants from English-, French-, and Portuguese-speaking countries.
Maurice Ye, a Health Cluster Coordinator in Antananarivo, Madagascar, lauded the course for significantly enhancing his understanding of how to plan digital health interventions within the context of LMICs, focusing on health system challenges and identifying appropriate technological applications.
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This comprehensive initiative underscores the WHO’s broader commitment to leveraging digital health as a catalyst for equitable, universal access to high-quality healthcare, aligning with the Global Strategy on Digital Health to achieve health for all.
