India’s Partnership with WHO on GIDH Shows Commitment to Digital Health Transformation: Dr. Mandaviya

The GIDH, a network managed by WHO, was unanimously adopted by all G20 countries, invited nations, and international organizations. It was collectively launched as a significant outcome of India’s G20 Presidency during the Health Ministers’ Meeting in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, on August 19, 2023.

During his address, Dr. Mandaviya emphasized the collaborative effort between India and WHO in establishing the GIDH, underscoring their shared commitment to revolutionize the digital health ecosystem.

He highlighted that the establishment of GIDH was welcomed under the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration of the G20 Summit, within the framework of WHO, under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

Dr. Mandaviya stressed that GIDH would facilitate the democratization of digital health technologies, particularly in the Global South, and emphasized the importance of strong regional cooperation for its success. He urged the WHO Southeast Asia Region (SEARO) Director to implement GIDH initiatives in the region.

Furthermore, the Union Health Minister highlighted India’s pioneering digital health transformations, notably through the flagship Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, which promotes healthcare digitization and fosters an interoperable digital ecosystem.

Expressing India’s steadfast support for GIDH’s implementation, advancement, and sustainability, Dr. Mandaviya called upon all member countries to collaborate in strengthening the global digital health framework. He emphasized that this collective effort would empower nations in achieving universal health coverage.

Background:

The Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH) was launched during the G20 Health Ministerial Meeting in Gandhinagar, India, on August 19, 2023, by WHO and the Government of India.

 As a WHO Managed Network (“Network of Networks”), GIDH aims to consolidate recent and past gains in global digital health, enhance mutual accountability, and implement the Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020 – 2025. GIDH is expected to act as a knowledge hub and neutral broker to align resources and efforts towards establishing digital public infrastructure for health, crucial for sustainable and evidence-based national digital health transformation.