Empowering emerging voices in digital health: The Youth Ownership of Digital Health Initiative
By: Varun Kumar, Senior Program Officer, Digital Health and Victory Kamthunzi, Communications Officer
Participants at the Youth Ownership of Digital Health (YO.DH) inaugural convening.
The aftermath of a global pandemic has reinforced the demand for digital systems and tools. Digital health has emerged as a crucial facilitator in transforming healthcare systems and enhancing outcomes. The significance of incorporating technology in healthcare cannot be overstated, and young professionals, being digital natives, possess a unique advantage in driving this transformation. Recognizing the potential of the youth to lead innovation and address future health challenges, India has taken the forefront in fostering an enabling environment. As countries embrace digital transformation, it is essential to ensure that the healthcare sector keeps pace and reaps the benefits of technology. The Youth Ownership of Digital Health (YO.DH) initiative is a pioneering platform designed to empower the next generation of emerging thinkers and future leaders to drive digital health, providing a space for collaboration and leadership development.
Inaugural event
The YO.DH inaugural convening occurred on July 19, 2023, in New Delhi, India. Hosted by PATH in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, International Innovation Corps (IIC), WomenLift Health, and Digital Square at PATH, the event brought together more than 50 young professionals under the age of 35 from various civil society organizations, consulting firms, start-ups, and government bodies in India. The YO.DH initiative is led by PATH's South Asia Hub Digital Health team, and its collaboration with the Digital Square at PATH initiative will leverage its experience and expertise in the region.
The occasion commenced with a warm welcome address by Neeraj Jain from PATH, setting the tone for a day filled with interactive workshops, group sessions, and networking opportunities.
Neeraj Jain, speaking at the YO.DH inaugural event
“While experience is certainly valuable, you cannot reimagine our collective future— especially in this fast-evolving digital health sector—without including the future in those discussions.”
The agenda aimed to provoke thoughts, address questions, and explore the scope of digital health while being conscious of youth inclusivity and gender representation. Engaging activities were built into the day's agenda with improv-guided immersions (theatre), opportunities to connect with mentors, public health hackathons, and collective dialogue to set expectations for the future of the YO.DH community.
PATH facilitators during the event.
Young professionals in group discussions.
Young professionals in an interactive workshop.
Emerging Voices
The YO.DH initiative struck a chord with the participants, who demonstrated overwhelming interest and enthusiasm. Several key themes and sentiments emerged from the discussions:
Lack of opportunities: Young professionals often face challenges in obtaining fair opportunities to contribute and impact the digital health space. YO.DH provides a much-needed platform for them to showcase their skills and ideas.
Mentorship gap: Many participants expressed the need for guidance and mentorship to navigate the complexities of the digital health sector. YO.DH seeks to bridge this gap by connecting young minds with experienced mentors.
Peer learning: Informal peer-learning forums are scarce in the digital health landscape, hindering collaboration and knowledge exchange. YO.DH aims to foster such spaces for young professionals to collaborate and learn from each other.
“It was a great opportunity to meet all the leaders, stakeholders, and mentors in digital health and exchange experiences in the real setting and how to engage and empower the youth to lead in digital innovation. I got the chance to share my capstone project results with organizations that design health applications to improve health outcomes. This initiative and workshops with the experts and leaders in digital health together to advocate the youth toward inclusion and active participation. I can’t wait to return to my home country (Yemen) to share the informative and valuable knowledge and experience in digital health.”
Tomorrow's digital health professionals
The YO.DH initiative has received resounding support from young digital health professionals, and their active participation in all the sessions is a testament to its potential for creating positive change in the industry. Moving forward, YO.DH will function as a community run by its members, with the secretariat housed in PATH. As the YO.DH community evolves, there are plans to facilitate interactions between experts from Digital Square and YO.DH members. These engagements will provide YO.DH members with valuable exposure to global expertise and inspire them to explore the myriad opportunities in the digital health sector. YO.DH will also launch social media platforms to maintain regular communication with interested participants through LinkedIn and X (Twitter) posts and email updates. A YO.DH volunteering callout is also in the pipeline, inviting those keen on actively contributing to the community's growth and development as a core group and to design subsequent activities.
YO.DH provides a platform for young minds to exchange ideas in digital health.
YO.DH offers a space for young professionals to collaborate.
YO.DH provides a platform for young minds to discover peers and partners.
Digital health is the future of healthcare, and empowering young professionals to take the lead is essential for its successful implementation and growth—the YO.DH initiative catalyzes this endeavor, providing a much-needed platform for collaboration, learning, and leadership development in the digital health landscape. By including youth at the core of digital health, India can fast-track its digital revolution in healthcare, ensuring innovation, inclusivity, and impactful outcomes for the next generation of leaders in this transformative field.
As the YO.DH community continues to grow and evolve, it is poised to make a significant impact on the digital health sector, driving positive change and transforming healthcare systems for the better. The journey has just begun, and the energy, enthusiasm, and determination of these young 'leaders in the making' holds promise to steer the future of digital health in India and beyond.