Digital technologies are rapidly transforming health systems around the world. From electronic medical records and telemedicine to artificial intelligence and data-driven surveillance, innovation is redefining how care is delivered, managed, and evaluated.
Yet this transformation presents a paradox, especially in low- and middle-income countries. While digital initiatives are multiplying, they often remain fragmented or misaligned with national priorities. Without strong national capacities to coordinate these efforts, digital transformation risks deepening inequalities, widening the divide between urban and rural areas, and between well-resourced and underserved health facilities.
To turn innovation into a driver of equity and resilience, countries must invest in the skills, governance, and leadership needed to guide these transformations.
Therefore, the WHO Academy is strengthening the digital health capacities of Member States, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In collaboration with the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), WHO is delivering the Digital Health: Planning for National Systems course for Francophone countries in the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions.
The course launched with 60 technical experts from 16 countries, equipping ministry leaders and policy-makers with the knowledge and tools to strategically guide national digital health systems.
Participants will complete:
- 12 hours of self-paced online learning over 12 weeks
- 12 live sessions (90 minutes each), featuring interactive discussions, group work, and peer exchange.
With its blended format, the course has already empowered over 200 participants across English-, French-, and Portuguese-speaking countries.
“The course gave me a better understanding of how to plan digital health interventions in the context of LMICs, based on health system challenges and identifying the right applications,” said Maurice Ye, Health Cluster Coordinator in Antananarivo, Madagascar.
This initiative reflects WHO’s broader commitment to ensuring that digital health drives equitable, universal access to quality care. By strengthening national systems, digital tools can make health systems more efficient, affordable, and sustainable.
Guided by the Global Strategy on Digital Health, WHO is helping countries to use innovation to achieve health for all.