SHARING STORIES, KNOWLEDGE, AND INSIGHTS

As the United Nations agency responsible for international public health, The World Health Organization (WHO) connects countries, partners, and people to advocate for universal health care, monitor public health risks, coordinate responses to health emergencies, and promote health and well-being. A core function of WHO is the development of global guidelines to ensure appropriate use of evidence. WHO guidelines articulate and endorse rigorously tested recommendations for health interventions to be adopted within country programs. When applied correctly and consistently, guideline recommendations save lives and improve the health of individuals and populations.

This week and next, we are celebrating the role of digital technologies to advance health—with Digital Health Week from November 29th to December 3rd and the Global Digital Health Forum from December 6th-8th. Digital Health Week is a global week of action to celebrate, promote, and advocate for digital health and its critical role in providing health for all by 2030. The Global Digital Health Forum provides an opportunity for Digital Square and its partners to come together, share our work, and contribute to a thriving community of digital health practitioners.

Digital Square has updated its strategy for 2022 in draft form and welcomes any input and questions through December 10, 2021 via email to Vrunda Rathod (vrathod@path.org).

The Digital Square Strategy outlines the vision, theory of change, and role of the initiative to increase understanding of both why the Digital Square initiative exists and how Digital Square works.

Digital Square at PATH is pleased to announce its sixth Call for Applications (Notice F). Digital Square provides resources, advances technology, and fosters alignment to improve how countries and the global health community design, use, and pay for digital health tools and approaches. Through this funding, Digital Square collaborates with innovators to advance adaptable, replicable tools designed to work together seamlessly to improve health outcomes and close the health equity gap.

COVID-19 knows no boundaries across geographies. To support robust pandemic response, health data should flow just as seamlessly across communities and up to the national level—allowing for timely, informed decision-making and the use of reliable information that can enhance cooperation across borders.