In a rapidly evolving world, digital health has become a strategic lever to improve access, quality, and efficiency in health systems. From telemedicine to electronic health records, digital technologies are profoundly transforming how health services are planned, delivered, and evaluated. While this transformation brings innovation, it also requires strong competencies in governance, strategic planning, interoperability, data security, and stakeholder engagement.
Recognizing these challenges, the WHO Academy plays a vital role in strengthening the capacities of Member States, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. To support this effort, and in close collaboration with the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), WHO is delivering the Digital Health: Planning for National Systems (DHPNS) course for Francophone countries in the WHO African (AFRO) and Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO) regions.
This course is designed to equip ministry leaders with the technical concepts and planning tools needed to strategically guide national digital health systems, following an enterprise architecture approach. Already successfully implemented with more than 200 participants from English-, French-, and Portuguese-speaking countries, the programme is generating growing interest among Member States, highlighting its relevance and impact in supporting health system transformation.
Why Attend?
Digital transformation in health systems requires more than technology—it demands clear strategy, coordinated planning, and strong leadership. This course equips participants with the foundational concepts and planning tools needed to design and guide effective national digital health systems, aligned with WHO and ITU frameworks.
It is especially valuable for leaders and senior managers from ministries of health, ICT, and finance, as well as key stakeholders such as donors, UN agencies, and implementing partners supporting national efforts.
By building a common understanding across sectors, the course strengthens collaboration and prepares participants for deeper engagement in digital health strategy and implementation.
Highlights
Participants will complete approximately 11 hours of self-paced online training (asynchronous), complemented by 12 interactive live sessions of 90 minutes each (totaling 18 hours). These live sessions offer opportunities to work in small groups, share experiences, and ask questions to clarify key concepts. The webinars are designed to deepen understanding of the online content and foster peer-to-peer exchange in a collaborative learning environment.