The World Well being Group (WHO) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia introduced a brand new milestone digital well being collaboration in the present day to increase the Hajj well being card initiative to assist the roughly 3 million pilgrims who undertake the holy pilgrimage yearly.
The Hajj well being card, constructed on the WHO International Digital Well being Certification Community’s public key infrastructure, summarizes essential well being data, reminiscent of treatment wants, allergy symptoms, immunization standing and pre-existing situations. The cardboard offers people company over their very own well being data after they journey to Saudi Arabia in order that they will present approved well being suppliers entry to correct, up-to-date affected person abstract data and procure personalised high quality care.
“Right this moment marks a notable progress in WHO’s assist to Member States to increase entry to safer and person-centered digital well being instruments for individuals to enhance their entry to high quality well being care when and the place they want it,” stated Dr Jeremy Farrar, WHO Chief Scientist. “We’re grateful for the wonderful collaboration with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, taking part international locations, and the WHO Regional Workplace for the Japanese Mediterranean, and sit up for additional assist constructing capability and infrastructure in international locations shifting to extra digitized well being programs.”
The Hajj is the biggest pilgrimage on this planet, drawing virtually 3 million pilgrims from over 180 international locations yearly. Over 250 000 pilgrims from 3 international locations, Indonesia, Malaysia and Oman, have been issued Hajj well being playing cards in 2024, as a part of the pilot collaboration between WHO and Saudi Arabia. This test-phase demonstrated that every nation was in a position to make use of international requirements to challenge their very own nationwide variations of the cardboard, enhancing the pilgrims’ security and high quality of care whereas enterprise the Hajj.
WHO and Saudi Arabia agreed to additional collaborate to enhance and increase upon the profitable pilot programme for the Hajj well being card. The experience and assist from the Saudi authorities and their digital implementing companion LEAN, will allow elevated knowledge safety and important technical assist to further international locations becoming a member of the Hajj well being card programme.
“This thrilling partnership between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the World Well being Group to increase the Hajj well being card initiative enhances the security and well-being of thousands and thousands of pilgrims,” stated Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Japanese Mediterranean (EMRO). “By leveraging digital well being options, we strengthen high quality of care, and assist strengthen well being programs within the Japanese Mediterranean Area and world wide.”
Eighty international locations joined the WHO’s digital well being certification community
WHO launched the International Digital Well being Certification Community (GDHCN) in 2023 constructing on a profitable collaboration with the European Union and different partnering international locations to assist COVID-19 vaccination certificates. The GDHCN now contains over 80 WHO Member States which have established programs to confirm the authenticity of well being data between one another, leveraging a brand new international ISO normal, IPS – the Worldwide Affected person Abstract.
The GDHCN is predicated on a sturdy public key infrastructure (PKI) encryption system that retains well being credentials verifiable and safe, permitting nationwide authorities and well being suppliers to belief the authenticity of well being paperwork throughout borders with out compromising particular person privateness.
The initiative goals to carry a digital well being future the place individuals can carry internationally acknowledged well being credentials for improved journey and well being care entry. This permits better entry and management for individuals over their well being data with the power to pick out and determine which well being data needs to be shared when searching for care domestically or overseas.
By becoming a member of WHO’s certification community, international locations can reduce down on administration processes, making border controls extra environment friendly and well being visits higher knowledgeable. The worldwide community lays the groundwork for long-term enhancements in worldwide well being collaboration, enabling future use-cases reminiscent of cross-border e-prescriptions, insurance coverage, and even telemedicine.
