Shaping the Future of Digital Health in the Western Pacific: A Regional Approach

In March 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) gathered Member States from the Western Pacific region in Manila, Philippines, to review and provide feedback on a draft Regional Action Framework on Digital Health. The consultation highlighted the need to adapt to the rapidly evolving digital health landscape, which has been significantly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. The draft framework covers governance, socio-technical infrastructure, digital health solutions, data, and financing, all aiming to enhance digital health's role in improving health systems and patient outcomes across the region. The final version will be presented for endorsement in October 2024 at the seventy-fifth session of the Regional Committee.

In a bid to address the swiftly evolving digital health landscape, the World Health Organization (WHO) consulted in March 2024 in Manila, Philippines. The two-day event brought together representatives from 31 Member States, health ministries, and digital transformation experts. The focus was to review the draft Regional Action Framework on Digital Health and ensure it reflects the needs and priorities of the Western Pacific region.

A Changing Digital Health Landscape

The rapid acceleration of digital health technologies in recent years, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic, has left no health system untouched. In 2018, the Western Pacific endorsed its first Regional Action Agenda on e-Health, marking the region’s commitment to harnessing technology to improve healthcare delivery. However, the past five years have seen seismic shifts in the digital health sector, necessitating a fresh and responsive strategy.

COVID-19, acting as both a catalyst and disruptor, expedited the adoption of digital tools like telemedicine, electronic health records, and big data analytics. However, the fast pace of implementation also exposed gaps, with many health systems adopting digital solutions reactively rather than through carefully planned strategies. Recognizing these challenges, the WHO introduced the Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020–2025, which set the tone for international cooperation in the digital health space.

Now, WHO's Western Pacific Regional Office seeks to modernize its framework for digital health with a comprehensive, updated approach, taking into account lessons learned from the pandemic and evolving technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), health data sharing, and precision public health.

Objectives and Collaborative Feedback

The Manila consultation focused on fine-tuning the draft Regional Action Framework. One of the meeting’s key goals was to ensure the framework could be readily adapted to each country’s unique circumstances, while still maintaining aspirational and transformative digital health objectives. Participants had the opportunity to share country-specific experiences, challenges, and solutions for building digital health systems that could deliver people-centric health outcomes.

Five core areas were the focus of the discussions: governance, socio-technical infrastructure, digital health solutions, data, and financing and economics. Each domain aimed to address critical components of digital health adoption and scalability.

For instance, discussions on governance explored how national digital health strategies must be inclusive, incorporating stakeholders from both public and private sectors to ensure that digital health tools are implemented and regulated effectively. The conversation also emphasized the need for solid governance structures that oversee data privacy and security—issues that have grown in importance with the rise of health data sharing.

Strengthening Digital Health Solutions and Data Use

Member States spent considerable time discussing how to build and integrate digital health solutions that meet their respective countries’ health priorities. The draft framework emphasized the need for interoperable systems that can adapt to evolving technologies while ensuring security and data integrity.

The framework also encourages countries to focus on data: the lifeblood of digital health. From wearable health devices to large-scale health information systems, countries are now collecting massive amounts of health-related data. The key is to ensure this data is not only accurate but can also be leveraged to improve decision-making, enhance service delivery, and empower patients in managing their health. The framework underscored the importance of having national policies that govern data sharing and usage ethically and securely.

Looking Forward: Recommendations and Next Steps

As the meeting concluded, participants expressed strong support for the draft framework but called for several adjustments. Member States emphasized that digital health systems need to be aligned with national health strategies and sufficiently funded. Moreover, they urged WHO to help build capacity across the region, particularly in less-resourced countries, to ensure that digital health solutions are scalable and sustainable.

The final version of the Regional Action Framework on Digital Health will be presented at the seventy-fifth session of the WHO Regional Committee in October 2024. In the months leading up to this session, Member States will have additional opportunities to provide feedback and refine the document. The finalized framework is expected to provide a comprehensive guide for countries across the Western Pacific to integrate digital health into their broader healthcare systems, supporting universal health coverage and strengthening public health resilience.

A Regional Commitment to People-Centric Health

The consultation made it clear that digital health is not just about technology; it's about people. As WHO Regional Director Dr. Saia Ma’u Piukala noted during the opening session, digital health systems hold the power to transform healthcare delivery, enhance patient outcomes, and create more resilient health systems. But these systems must be designed with people at the center—ensuring they are accessible, inclusive, and capable of addressing both current and future healthcare challenges.

The Western Pacific is taking an important step towards that future by building a framework that supports countries in their digital health transformation journeys. As the region continues to embrace innovation, collaboration among Member States and the support of WHO will be critical in shaping the digital health landscape for years to come.