Bridging gaps through digital health transformation

On May 19th, the World Diabetes Foundation co-organized a flagship event with the International Diabetes Federation titled "Digital Health Transformation in the Global NCD Response – A Call for Unified Approaches and Scaled Investment."  

Digital health solutions offer valuable opportunities to enhance patient care and make quality healthcare more accessible, particularly for NCDs like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, their potential remains largely untapped in LMICs due to fragmented health systems, inadequate digital infrastructure, and insufficient funding. 

Effective governance, ethical considerations, and digital skills are essential for improving health service delivery and disease surveillance. While some progress has been made, challenges such as technology applicability and data ownership still persist. 

The event attracted a full house, with significant engagement from over 500 online participants, providing a platform for knowledge-sharing and advocacy. 

The interventions from the World Health Organization, the University of Oslo/DHIS2, and the Global Initiative on Digital Health has shed light on essential global digital health frameworks and standardized solutions. These discussions highlighted the significance of open-source platforms and the integration of diabetes care with other NCDs. 

Additionally, the International Diabetes Federation and the World Diabetes Foundation presented their visions and strategies for enhancing digital health and diabetes care, emphasizing the importance of partnerships in these efforts.  

One of the standout moments came from Nupur Lalvani of Blue Circle Voice, who shared her experience as someone living with type 1 diabetes. She offered a firsthand perspective on the impact of digital health innovations on care management, and highlighted how digital health isn’t just about disruption, it is about building bridges and allows for community building as well. 

Furthermore, the Ministries of Health from Kenya, Tanzania, and Sri Lanka took to the stage to deliver inspiring presentations about their progress in establishing nationwide digital health systems aimed at tackling NCDs. Their achievements reflect not only the remarkable results already attained but also the exciting initiatives that lie ahead in their commitment to improving health outcomes. Our second panel will explore best practices from LMICs in implementing digital health solutions for NCD prevention and control, focusing on diabetes and cardiovascular disease. 
 

The Zero Draft political declaration for the upcoming 4th UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs includes a clear commitment from governments to leverage technology and digital health tools for improved access to NCD care, as well as better health data collection and monitoring. As we prepare for the UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs, it is crucial to reduce fragmentation, enhance the accessibility of digital tools, commit to sustainable investments, scale digital solutions, and ensure data sovereignty. Our event demonstrated the significant progress made by countries and global lead agencies, laying the groundwork for scaling up these efforts everywhere.  

Let us unite to build stronger digital health systems, integrating diabetes and other NCDs, and strive to bring digital technologies to every individual living with these conditions. 

Watch the full recording here: IDF x WDF Side Event during WHA 78: Digital Health Transformation in the Global NCD Response - YouTube