UNICEF has announced the launch of a new course designed to help healthcare professionals in India to “stay ahead of the curve” of technological advancements in digital health, equipping and empowering healthcare staff with skills to support digital transformation in the health sector.
The Digital Health Enterprise Planning Course was developed in collaboration with the International Institute of Health Management and Research in New Delhi and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Bombay, with other contributors including USAID and the World Bank.
Offering a total of nine modules on topics such as developing digital health strategies, establishing digital health platforms, and working with governance and regulations, the course is hailed as “a testament to the collaborative efforts towards building a robust digital health ecosystem” by Professor Santosh Noronha of the Tata Centre for Technology and Design, IIT Mumbai.
Speaking on the challenges for health professionals in India who may “lack the necessary training and education on digital technology to effectively utilise digital health tools and navigate the complexities associated with their implementation”, Professor Sutapa B. Neogi, director of the International Institute of Health Management and Research, said: “By equipping healthcare professionals with the necessary skills and knowledge, this course will enhance their competence to adapt to the digital era and optimise healthcare delivery systems across India, particularly in underserved communities.”
The course aligns with national initiatives in India including the Nation Digital Health Mission and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, which aims to develop “the backbone necessary to support the integrated digital health infrastructure of the country”.
In related news, at the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva, union health secretary Shri Apurva Chandra addressed BRICS (an alliance of major developing countries) Health Ministers to acknowledge the need for enhanced BRICS collaboration on a range of issues, including nuclear medicine, the radio-pharmaceutical supply chain, and the “development and commercialisation of advanced digital solutions”.
- 1
- 2
