Digital Health, WHO Global Strategy on Digital Health, National Digital Health Mission (NDHM), GIDH, Health Data Interoperability, UHI (Unified Health Interface), Telemedicine, CoWIN, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), DHIS2
Health Equity, Digital Public Goods, Interoperability, Universal Health Coverage, South-South Collaboration, Global Digital Health Diplomacy, Open-source Health Platforms, India Stack for Health
May 15, 2025
7
mins read
The Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH) was officially launched in August 2023 by the World Health Organization (WHO), during India’s G20 Presidency. The initiative aims to consolidate global efforts in developing, scaling, and standardizing digital health infrastructure to strengthen health systems, especially in low- and middle-income countries. It forms a core part of the broader Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020–2025.
India played a pivotal role in driving this initiative forward through the G20 Health Ministers' Meeting held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. As countries move toward universal health coverage, GIDH provides a platform for sharing innovations, governance standards, and collaborative action. Its increasing relevance in international cooperation makes it a potential area for UPSC prelims, mains and current affairs preparation.
The idea of a global initiative emerged from the WHO’s Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020–2025.
The formal launch of GIDH was a deliverable under India’s G20 Presidency.
India’s CoWIN platform, used effectively during COVID-19 vaccination, became a global model for scalable digital health tools.
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Facilitate alignment of digital health investments with national and global health priorities.
Promote interoperability of digital health systems across countries.
Support capacity building in LMICs (Low- and Middle-Income Countries) through knowledge sharing and training.
Foster public-private partnerships for innovation in digital health tools.
Nodal Agency: GIDH is coordinated and monitored by the WHO’s Digital Health Department, aligning with the WHO's broader digital health strategy.
Multi Stakeholder Approach: It functions through a network of partnerships involving national governments, UN agencies, multilateral donors, academia, public and private tech providers.
Implementation Model: GIDH adopts an open-source, country-owned model to promote adaptable and interoperable digital health systems.
Platform Integration: It builds on and integrates existing digital platforms such as DHIS2 (District Health Information System 2), OpenMRS (Open Medical Record System), and India’s Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
Policy Alignment: Ensures digital health strategies are in sync with national priorities like Universal Health Coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
India spearheaded the GIDH launch during its G20 presidency in 2023.
Offered the CoWIN platform as a Digital Public Good (DPG) to other countries under the CoWIN Global Conclave.
Promotes ABDM (Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission) and UHI (Unified Health Interface) as replicable frameworks.
As of September 2024, over 67 crore ABHA IDs have been created under ABDM, and more than 42 crore health records have been linked, ensuring accessible and portable health histories.
ABDM includes components such as ABHA ID, Health Professionals Registry (HPR), Health Facility Registry (HFR), and UHI for service access.
Launched the Digital Health Incentives Scheme (DHIS) to support health facilities and digital solution companies in adopting digital tools.
By June 2023, 1,205 health facilities (567 public, 638 private) and 25 solution providers had enrolled.
Supported capacity-building workshops for digital health policy design and implementation.
Aligns with India’s vision of becoming a global hub for digital health diplomacy and innovation.
The Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH) operates through four core components designed to support its overarching vision:
Governance and Policy Frameworks: Supports countries in designing national digital health strategies aligned with global standards, emphasizing inclusivity, accountability, and data protection.
Technical and Operational Support: Provides tools, platforms, and implementation guidance to countries for rolling out interoperable, scalable, and sustainable digital health systems.
Knowledge Exchange and Capacity Building: Facilitates global peer-learning networks, technical training, and workshops to improve digital health literacy among stakeholders.
The Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH) is highly relevant from a UPSC Prelims perspective due to its global, inclusive, and innovation-centric approach to healthcare. Here’s why it matters:
Bridges the digital divide: GIDH aims to make quality healthcare accessible in low-resource settings by providing scalable digital solutions. It promotes inclusivity in global health access.
Standardizes digital infrastructure: It encourages countries to adopt common protocols for health IT systems, enabling smooth data exchange and collaboration.
Reduces duplication of efforts: By acting as a central repository of digital health best practices and technologies, it avoids fragmentation and promotes cost-effectiveness.
Enhances pandemic preparedness: Enables early warning systems, contact tracing, and digital vaccination tools using real-time data across borders.
Empowers national health systems: Especially in LMICs, by offering technical know-how and funding pathways to develop robust digital health ecosystems.
Supports use of Digital Public Goods: Promotes open-source tools like DHIS2 and India's CoWIN that are scalable and cost-effective.
Data privacy concerns: Lack of a unified global framework can lead to risks such as data theft, misuse of electronic records, and fraudulent prescriptions.
Infrastructure and connectivity gaps: Many remote and rural areas in developing countries, including parts of India, lack the internet and power infrastructure needed to support digital health platforms.
Digital literacy barriers: Elderly populations and rural citizens may struggle to navigate complex digital tools and platforms.
Limited technical capacity to customize and scale platforms locally.
Balancing sovereignty with interoperability in national health IT frameworks.
Need for sustainable financing and multi-sector collaboration.
Digital infrastructure gaps in several developing nations.
Limited technical capacity to customize and scale platforms locally.
Balancing sovereignty with interoperability in national health IT frameworks.
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Promote India Stack for Health as a blueprint for digital health systems.
Increase south-south collaborations to facilitate tech transfer and joint innovation.
Encourage WHO and global partners to fund scalable pilots in Africa and Asia.
Develop global benchmarks for cybersecurity and consent-based health data use.
Use platforms like GIDH to train a new cadre of digital health professionals globally.
The Global Initiative on Digital Health is a landmark move in mainstreaming technology into healthcare governance worldwide. India’s leadership through platforms like CoWIN and ABDM has reinforced the country’s role as a digital health pioneer. For UPSC aspirants, GIDH represents a unique intersection of international relations, public health, and digital innovation, making it a high-potential topic for both prelims and mains, especially when reviewing PYQs and current global news.
