PATH and Transform Health call for strengthening health data governance at 154th WHO Executive Board Meeting

Sharing and applying health data brings immense opportunities to improve decision-making, patient care, and emergency response. However, without strong regulatory systems, health data can also put individuals and organizations at risk of exploitation or misuse.

At the 154th World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board Meeting on January 24, 2024, PATH read a statement jointly developed by Digital Square and Transform Health, a coalition of more than 150 organizations, in support of strengthening health data governance regulation. This statement calls for governments and WHO member states to champion and prioritize effective and equitable health data governance regulations to support responsible data sharing and improve public trust in health data systems. Read the joint statement below and read Transform Health’s related statement on their website.

Non-State Actor statement for EB154/6

Robust health data governance regulation is needed harness the power of data to improve health and well-being for everyone, while also managing risks, protecting individual rights, and ensuring people’s data is protected from misuse. This is vital for improving public trust in health data systems and the advancement of Universal Health Coverage.

There is an opportunity to identify best practices and gaps, build consensus around a set of minimum components for health data governance regulations, and improve the harmonisation across countries that is crucial for cross-border data sharing.

We call on WHO and its Member States to support a World Health Assembly resolution to serve as a benchmark for strengthening national approaches whilst unlocking Universal Health Coverage for all.