Consultation Webinar: Global Strategy on Digital Health (2028–2033)
WHO African Region – Structured stakeholder inputs to inform the successor strategy (2028–2033) and strengthen alignment with the WSIS Action Line on eHealth.
Background and rationale
Digital transformation is increasingly central to strengthening health systems, accelerating progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC), and improving health outcomes across the African Region and globally. Over the past decade, countries have expanded the use of digital technologies for service delivery, health information systems, surveillance, supply chains and workforce development.
Persistent challenges remain, including fragmentation of digital initiatives, limited interoperability, sustainability and financing constraints, workforce capacity gaps, and inequities in access and use.
WHO has provided global leadership through the Global Strategy on Digital Health (2020–2025). In May 2025, the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly, through resolution WHA78(22), endorsed the extension of the current strategy to 2027 and requested the development of a successor strategy for 2028–2033, informed by Member State priorities and inclusive stakeholder engagement.
The WHO Secretariat presented a report to the Executive Board at its 156th session (EB156/35), outlining proposed directions, principles, and an inclusive, Member State-driven consultation process emphasizing regional and multi-stakeholder consultations.
In parallel, the 20-year review of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) reaffirmed the importance of investing in ICTs for health. WHO, as lead facilitator of the WSIS Action Line on eHealth (co-facilitated with ITU), plays a central role in aligning health-sector digital transformation with global digital cooperation processes.
Within this context, the African Region has a unique opportunity to shape the next phase of the global digital health agenda, drawing on innovation, demographic dividend and expanding digital ecosystems, while addressing critical structural and systemic challenges.
Purpose and objectives
The webinar convenes stakeholders from across the WHO African Region to provide structured inputs that will inform the successor Global Strategy on Digital Health (2028–2033), in line with WHA78(22) and the Executive Board report EB156/35.
- Present the global mandate, timeline and consultation process for developing the strategy (2028–2033).
- Reflect on progress and lessons learned from implementation (2020–2025) and its extension to 2027.
- Facilitate dialogue on African regional priorities, gaps and opportunities for digital transformation of health systems.
- Capture stakeholder perspectives and recommendations to inform drafting of the 2028–2033 strategy.
- Strengthen alignment with broader digital cooperation processes, including the WSIS Action Line on eHealth.
Scope and thematic focus
Discussions will focus on, but not be limited to:
- Global trends and implications of the WSIS 20-year review and the Global Digital Compact.
- Governance, leadership and national digital health strategies.
- Interoperability, standards and digital public infrastructure for health.
- Health data, analytics and responsible use of artificial intelligence.
- Workforce capacity and competencies for digital health.
- Equity, inclusion, ethics and protection of personal health data.
- Sustainable financing, partnerships and innovation ecosystems.
Stakeholders and participants
The webinar will bring together stakeholders from the WHO African Region, including:
- Governments (Ministries of Health and relevant line ministries, regulators and planning authorities).
- Private sector actors, technology firms and digital health innovators.
- Civil society organizations and community representatives.
- Technical and standards communities.
- International organizations and regional bodies.
- Academic and research institutions.
- Development partners and donors.
- Other stakeholders engaged in digital health and health system transformation.
Expected outputs and linkages
- A consolidated summary of African regional priorities and recommendations for the successor strategy.
- Identification of cross-cutting themes and areas requiring enhanced global and regional coordination.
- Documentation of stakeholder contributions as a formal regional input into the global strategy development process.
- Strengthened linkage between WHO’s digital health agenda and the WSIS framework (WSIS Action Line on eHealth).
This webinar is part of WHO’s inclusive, Member State-driven consultation process for the Global Strategy on Digital Health (2028–2033), mandated by WHA78(22) and guided by EB156/35. It also provides a substantive regional contribution to the WSIS Action Line on eHealth, reinforcing coherence between health-sector digital transformation and broader digital cooperation agendas.
Provisional agenda (2 hours)
- Opening and welcome remarks
- Global mandate, timeline and consultation process (2028–2033)
- Progress and lessons learned (2020–2025; extension to 2027)
- Regional priorities, gaps and opportunities: moderated discussion
- Stakeholder recommendations and wrap-up
- Next steps and closing