Geneva, Switzerland, 28 May 2024 (PAHO) – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and German Development Agency GIZ this week signed an agreement to drive the digital transformation of the health sector and improve health outcomes for millions of people in the Region of the Americas.
The agreement was signed during the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland and foresees activities to strengthen countries capacities by integrating digital health into national e-governance systems, enhancing connectivity, and using digital approaches for more equitable access. Activities will focus on actions that promote global digital health technical standards, quality assurance of related software, and their adaptation and localization at regional and national levels.
It also foresees work to support One Health approaches to pandemic prevention and control, among others, and to address cross-sectoral issues impacting health, such as climate change, poverty, migration, public infrastructure, good governance, gender, social equity and research and evidence generation.
“We welcome this partnership with GIZ to expedite the transformation of health systems in our region,” PAHO Director Jarbas Barbosa said. “This collaboration marks an important step forward in advancing digital health and innovation across the Americas.”
PAHO and the Government of Germany have cooperated in several areas in the past, including to support strategies to improve vaccination records and disease surveillance in vulnerable and indigenous populations in countries in the region.
“The agreement underscores our joint commitment to leveraging digital technologies to enhance healthcare accessibility, efficiency, and equity,” Tessa Lenneman, GIZ Project Leader at Digital Innovation in Pandemic Control (DIPC), said. “By combining PAHO's extensive regional expertise with GIZ's strategic implementation capabilities, we aim to transform healthcare systems and improve health outcomes for millions.”
PAHO is the specialized international health agency for the Inter-American system and serves as the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Americas. The organization works with countries throughout the region to improve and protect people's health.
GIZ is an enterprise owned by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany that provides services in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development. GIZ has over 50 years of experience in a wide variety of areas, including economic development and employment, energy and the environment, and peace and security.
