With Africa currently undergoing a digital revolution, the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) today signed a Cooperation Agreement in Geneva, on using digital services to save lives and improve people’s health.

The partnership will focus on building platforms to scale digital health at national level, build a capable workforce to effectively use ICT as well as address the need of multi-stakeholders partnerships for sustainable adoption of digital health. It will bring together several entities including financial institutions, telecommunications operators and ICT companies with the aim of strengthening public-private partnerships to increase the resilience of health systems and improve their services and accessibility through the use of ICT.

The new Agreement will consolidate existing efforts and resources towards making available ICT foundations and platforms that are a requirement for providing and scaling up digital health services.

From Relief Web.

“The partnership will tap into this smart, cost-effective solutions by harnessing Africa’s digital revolution to strengthen health systems, such as health service delivery, health, medical information, informing and educating communities. Our two organizations are committed to expanding the use of ICTs in health to contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals SDGs, particularly universal health coverage in Africa,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

Read more at Relief Web.