Global Health Security Reinforced by The European Commission and WHO’s Revolutionary Digital Health Initiative

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Commission have launched a digital health partnership to create a global system that will help facilitate global mobility and protect citizens across the world from on-going and future health threats, including pandemics. WHO will take up the European Union (EU) system of digital COVID-19 certification in June 2023 to establish a global system. This is the first building block of the WHO Global Digital Health Certification Network (GDHCN) that will develop a wide range of digital products to deliver better health for all. The initiative follows the 30 November 2022 agreement between Commissioner Kyriakides and Dr Tedros to enhance strategic cooperation on global health issues.

As per the analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Commission, a new digital health partnership has been launched to strengthen global health security. The partnership aims to establish a global system that will facilitate global mobility and protect citizens across the world from ongoing and future health threats, including pandemics. This is the first step towards the creation of the WHO Global Digital Health Certification Network (GDHCN), which will develop a wide range of digital products to deliver better health for all.

In June 2023, WHO will adopt the European Union’s (EU) system of digital COVID-19 certification to establish a global system. This will help ensure a more seamless and secure travel experience for all, while also protecting public health. The system will be based on the principles of equity, innovation, transparency, data protection, and privacy.

“New digital health products in development aim to help people everywhere receive quality health services quickly and more effectively,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

The initiative is based on the EU Global Health Strategy and WHO Global strategy on digital health. It follows the agreement between Commissioner Kyriakides and Dr Tedros on 30 November 2022 to enhance strategic cooperation on global health issues. This further strengthens a robust multilateral system with WHO at its core, powered by a strong EU.

“This partnership is an important step for the digital action plan of the EU Global Health Strategy. By using European best practices, we contribute to digital health standards and interoperability globally—to the benefit of those most in need,” said Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety.

The partnership will include close collaboration in the development, management, and implementation of the WHO GDHCN system. The European Commission’s technical expertise in the field will be utilized to ensure effective functioning of the current EU digital certificates.

“With 80 countries and territories connected to the EU Digital COVID-19 Certificate, the EU has set a global standard. The EU certificate is a powerful tool to facilitate safe and free movement during the pandemic, and we are ready to work with WHO to ensure that it continues to be a reliable and effective tool for the future,” said Commissioner Kyriakides.

The partnership is a powerful example of how alignment between the EU and the WHO can deliver better health for all, in the EU and across the world. As the directing and coordinating authority on international health work, there is no better partner than the WHO to advance the work started at the EU and further develop global digital health solutions.

As the final thought, the WHO and European Commission’s digital health partnership is a landmark initiative that aims to strengthen global health security. The partnership will develop a wide range of digital products to deliver better health for all, based on the principles of equity, innovation, transparency, data protection, and privacy. This partnership is an important step towards ensuring a more seamless and secure travel experience for all while protecting public health.