Digital health is set to play a far greater role in the coming decade, as the World Health Organization (WHO) outlines an updated global strategy designed to help countries adopt digital tools responsibly and effectively. From AI-driven diagnostics to smartphone apps and wearables, these technologies are increasingly seen as essential building blocks for achieving universal health coverage, ensuring that everyone, everywhere has access to high-quality care without financial burden.
In its newly reaffirmed Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020–2027, released on 1 December, WHO calls on governments to accelerate national planning, strengthen governance, and embed digital solutions into resilient, equitable health systems. A further update, covering 2028–2033, is already in preparation.
From apps to AI and smart wearables
Digital health, as defined by WHO (pdf), spans a wide spectrum: from everyday mobile health apps to advanced capabilities such as artificial intelligence, big-data analytics, virtual care, remote monitoring and smart wearables. The organisation stresses that accessibility, affordability and safety must remain central as digital health expands.
WHO reports steady global uptake: 129 countries now have official digital health strategies, and more than 1,600 government leaders have been trained in digital health and AI.
The strategy is built on four pillars:
- Global collaboration and knowledge-sharing, ensuring digital tools meet strict standards for quality, security and safety.
- Strong national digital health strategies, supported by robust governance, sustainable investment and a digitally skilled workforce.
- Long-term governance frameworks, including ethical principles for AI, data protection and interoperability.
- Human-centred design, promoting digital literacy and ensuring innovations reduce rather than reinforce inequalities.
WHO highlights the transformative potential of digital technologies, from improving diagnostics and treatment decisions to enabling personalised care, strengthening clinical research and supporting self-management. According to the organisation, digital health will be indispensable not only for universal health coverage, but also for pandemic preparedness and climate-resilient healthcare systems. The WHO recently reported that only 8 per cent of the 50 countries in the European region have a strategy for the use of AI in healthcare.
Digital health strategy history
The World Health Assembly (WHA) laid the foundations for global digital health policy back in 2005. Resolution WHA58.28 called on Member States to develop long-term strategies for eHealth, expand ICT infrastructure and promote equal, affordable access to digital healthcare. Since then, more than 120 countries , including low- and middle-income countries, have developed national eHealth strategies. This was followed in 2013 by Resolution WHA66.24, which urged countries to develop policies and legislation on standardisation and interoperability. The need for a broader digital agenda led to resolution WHA71.7 in 2018, which asked the WHO to develop a global strategy for digital health.
This global strategy was developed through an extensive consultation process (2019–2020), with input from public forums, technical consultations and WHO regional committees. The Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020–2027 was finally approved at the 73rd World Health Assembly in 2020.
The strategy builds on previous UN and WHA resolutions, regional policy documents, international standards (such as ICD-11) and the National eHealth Strategy Toolkit. In 2025, its duration was officially extended to 2027 (resolution WHA78(22)). Apart from the adjusted timeline, the content of the strategy remained unchanged. The WHO strategy thus forms a solid basis for the global digital transformation of healthcare systems.
