Health cooperation in the digital age: Good policies - good governance - good practice

The impact of digital technologies on health care and health can be beneficial, if both needs and risks are properly managed and if technologies are fully integrated in strong healthcare systems. There are many pitfalls such as further fragmentation of health systems, data extractivism (data colonialism) and the problems of e-waste. In particular, digital health technology should not be seen as a substitute for strong primary care-based services on the ground, nor viewed as a cost-cutting measure, where services by trained health workers are replaced by digital tools. It should not accelerate privatization of public services.

In the field of international cooperation in digital health, we have seen lots of pilot programs, but bringing them to scale remains a significant challenge. There is too much waste of scarce resources based on technologies promoted by international donors or technology companies, at the expense of proven interventions. This is both a challenge for practitioners and for those promoting good policies, strong regulation and good governance.

In an emerging community of analysis, reflection and action, members and partners of the MMI Network are invited to explore how to achieve good policies, good governance and good practice in the field of international health cooperation and digital technologies.