WHO/Europe has launched the Strategic Partners’ Initiative for Data and Digital Health (SPI-DDH), a collaboration network that brings together the 53 Member States of the WHO European Region and leading partners in the fields of data and digital health.
The SPI-DDH aims to tackle issues related to the digital transformation of health systems and foster a future where all patients and health-care workers can benefit from safe, affordable and person-centred digital technologies for health.
Multisectoral collaboration
The newly established network will convene over 100 representatives of Member States; intergovernmental, governmental and nongovernmental organizations; WHO collaborating centres for data and digital health; the private sector; and academic institutions.
“Our shared purpose that brings us together today is to create a new dialogue that engages the right stakeholders around the topics that matter most. No single entity can unleash the full potential of digital health and data. But through the knowledge and understanding cultivated through this platform, we can work together to ensure that the values of equity and human rights are at the core of health systems in a digital era,” said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, at the SPI-DDH launch event in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 13 June 2024.
“Today marked the beginning of a truly transformative journey,” said Dr Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, Director of the Divison of Country Health Policies and Systems at WHO/Europe, in her closing remarks. “The diversity of expertise here, as well as the conversations that took place today, assure me that we are on the right path to creating robust and person-centred health systems in the digital era.”
Addressing shared challenges
Despite the promising potential of data and digital solutions for health, countries in the Region still experience challenges with financing, implementing and governing the digital transformation of their health systems. This includes poor health data interoperability and a lack of equitable opportunities for some of the most vulnerable communities.
WHO/Europe’s report “Digital health in the WHO European Region: the ongoing journey to commitment and transformation” found that only up to 2% of the total national health budget was allocated to digital transformation in the few countries who were even able to report this expenditure.
Only 35% of Member States have policies addressing the use of big data and advanced analytics in the health sector. Moreover, patients and health workers report low levels of trust for digital solutions, with concerns related to privacy and security.
To address these issues, the SPI-DDH participants formed 4 specialized working groups that will focus on:
- unlocking more capacity and access to health care with digitalization and responsible artificial intelligence (AI);
- leveraging data and digital technologies to bring health care and prevention into the home;
- taking an ecosystem approach to standards and interoperability in health care; and
- strengthening public health with a focus on mental health and the health workforce.