The new WHO European Geospatial Coordination Hub aims to strengthen geospatial capacities and facilitate the implementation of geospatial activities across the WHO European Region to enable Member States to make informed public health decisions more quickly.
The WHO European Centre for Preparedness for Humanitarian and Health Emergencies, in collaboration with WHO/Europe’s Data and Digital Health unit and the WHO GIS Centre for Health, will launch the Hub at an event in Istanbul, Türkiye, on 15 November 2023.
Specific objectives of the Hub include:
- developing a regional geographic information system (GIS) roadmap;
- providing access to resources and technical support to WHO/Europe’s GIS experts;
- providing training and capacity-building for WHO staff, Member States and other stakeholders in GIS applications, data and tools;
- building and coordinating a network of GIS professionals and public health experts in the Region to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange, and to interact with GIS users in other WHO regions as well as partners and government agencies;
- mobilizing regional GIS experts to respond to emergencies;
- developing and disseminating good practices, guidelines and resources for GIS applications in public health; and
- supporting WHO/Europe and its Member States with geospatial data and analysis integration in health information systems and decision-making processes.
Expected outcomes include:
- improved capacity of health professionals and decision-makers to use GIS tools and spatial analysis techniques for evidence-based planning and emergency response, and to digitize health information systems and data management processes;
- enhanced collaboration and information sharing among stakeholders in the health sector, leading to more effective health service delivery;
- a pool of skilled GIS professionals engaged in an active community of practice helping to address public health challenges in the long term; and
- increased use of spatial data and GIS applications in public health research, operational research, policy-making and programming within WHO/Europe and its Member States.