Health Technologies and Innovations

The Health Technologies and Innovations (HTI) Programme at regional level aims at ensuring key health systems inputs and technology to improve access and ensure quality and rational use of inputs including medicines, medical products and technologies. Provide guidance for assessments, development, ethics, use and monitoring of national health technology strategies (including coordinating selection; harmonization and regulation of health technologies and products across the region). The Programme contributes to achieving universal health coverage and sustainable development goals through improving access to medical products and other health technologies. The policies and strategies guiding programme planning and implementation, and objectives of the Programme are aligned with WHO's 12th General Programme of Work 2014-2019 and the WHO Medicines and Health Products Programme Strategic Framework 2016-2030.

The objectives of the HTI Programme are:

  • To enable countries develop or update, implement, monitor and evaluate national policies on better access to health technologies; and to strengthen evidence-based selection and rational use of health technologies
  • To support countries implement the global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property
  • To facilitate the strengthening of national regulatory authorities; development of norms, standards, guidelines for medical products; and to ensure the quality, safety and efficacy of health technologies.

The HTI Programme has 3 thematic areas with units:

  • Blood Safety, Organs, Tissues and Transplants (BST)
  • Diagnostic Technologies (DTS)
  • Diagnostic Standards and Regulation (DSR)
  • Laboratory Services and Systems (LSS)
  • Medicines, Medical Products and Devices (MMD)
  • Essential Medicines (EDM)
  • Health Products and Devices Regulation (PDR)
  • Traditional Medicine (TRM)

Contact details:

  • Dr Thomas LAPNET-MOUSTAPHA, Team Leader HTI, lapnett [at] who.int
  • Dr Sheick Oumar COULIBALY, DTS a.i., DSR and LSS a.i., coulibalys [at] who.int
  • Dr Ossy KASILO, MMD and TRM, kasiloo [at] who.int
  • Dr Stanislav KNIAZKOV, PDR, kniazkovs [at] who.int
  • Dr Andre LOUA, BST, louaa [at] who.int
  • Prof Jean-Baptiste NIKIEMA, EDM, nikiemaje [at] who.int
  • Dr Philippe DOO-KINGUE, EDM-IST/WA, doo-kinguep [at] who.int