Global Initiative on Digital Health to be launched under India’s G-20 presidency

The first-of-it’s-kind global initiate is aimed at data converge, interface of health platforms and investments in the digital health space around the globe

Lav Agarwal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare addresses the media ahead of G-20 Health Ministers meeting, in Gandhinagar on August 16, 2023. | Photo Credit: ANI

India in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) will launch the Global Initiative on Digital Health on August 19 as part of the on going G-20 summit in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. 

The first-of-it’s-kind global initiate is aimed at data converge, interface of health platforms and investments in the digital health space around the globe.

The summit is also working on bringing in the crucial interim Medical Countermeasure (MCM) — “which is a ‘network of networks approach’ before the next health emergency hits us and India in collaboration with WHO is leading the advocacy,” said Lav Agarwal, additional secretary, Health Ministry on Wednesday.

He added that the global digital platform will include an investment tracker, an ask tracker (to understand who needs what kind of products and services) and a library of existing digital health platforms. 

He further explained that digital health innovations and solutions will aid universal health convergence and improve healthcare service delivery. The initiative has also found funding from global partners.

Speaking about data security associated with the initiative, Mr. Agarwal said that India has always followed the policy of having data owned by the citizens.

“This is not the practice that we find across the world. India has spoken to its partners about the India format which has been endorsed by partners,” he explained.

The global platform for data sharing will offer no data about its users but will share analyses and work at inter operational ability of data.

The summit is also working at garnering support for setting up a Climate and Health Initiative (CHI) in India, in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank and the launch of patient and healthcare workforce mobility portal.

Meanwhile at the summit, WHO is also convening the traditional medicine global summit on August 17 and 18 which is co-hosted by the Ministry of Ayush. It will explore the role of traditional complimentary and integrative medicine in addressing pressing health challenges and driving progress in global health and sustainable development.