WHO/Europe has issued an open call for applications to join its newly launched Strategic Partners’ Initiative for Data and Digital Health (SPI-DDH). The call is open 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.
Serving people’s diverse health needs means working in collaboration
Successfully implementing technology and managing data and within complex health systems can be a challenge for countries. Multidisciplinary approaches that bring together a diverse range of stakeholders and skillsets are crucial in ensuring that solutions serve the needs of both people and health-care workers.
That is why WHO/Europe has established the SPI-DDH: a dynamic, multistakeholder platform that will identify good practice approaches and address gaps in data and digital health ecosystems to help build safe, affordable and person-centred European health systems of the future.
The Initiative’s efforts, including those of its working groups, will be informed by the latest scientific research and evidence-based practices, and align with WHO’s Global Strategy on Digital Health and the Regional Digital Health Action Plan for the WHO European Region 2023–2030.
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.
The SPI-DDH will be launched later this year and will operate until the end of 2025, after which its further operation will be evaluated.
Who can express interest?
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.
Registering your interest
To register your interest in joining the SPI-DDH, please carefully read the terms of reference for the SPI-DDH and complete the online form by 31 October 2023.
WHO will determine whether interested entities are eligible and if they can be accepted as participants of the SPI-DDH. Only entities that fall within one of the categories listed above and fulfil the application criteria described in the terms of reference can be considered. Successful applicants will be informed in writing.
If you have any questions about this call for expression of interest or the SPI-DDH, please write to EUDigitalHealth@who.int before the application deadline.