Dr Ulla Jasper argues that world leaders must act to develop an authoritative framework for the management of health data.
If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything about the use of digital technology and artificial intelligence, it is that such technologies can be both a powerful cure and a cure. a harmful curse.
We see that digital tools and AI applications can have a game-changing impact on public health, disease surveillance, vaccine research and service delivery, just to name a few. example. But we also recognize that digital or AI-powered technologies are used to monitor and track populations, restrict freedom of expression, and undermine access to information.
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The power of digital technology and AI for sustainable development
However, we cannot ignore the benefits of technological progress. In fact, research shows that digital technology and AI can boost our ability to deliver on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
The potential is particularly great in the health sector, ranging from improved diagnosis and treatment to more efficient and resource-optimized healthcare management to better medical training and delivery. targeted health financing.
With just eight years to go, and an estimated half of the world’s population still without access to primary health care, such progress is urgently needed. This, of course, requires increased investment in digital-assisted health systems and essential health technologies.
Overcoming obstacles
However, another key obstacle that needs to be addressed to leverage the full potential of digital and AI in healthcare is the lack of a global global health data governance framework.
For digital technology to fully contribute to positive health outcomes, we must address and overcome the underlying conditions of inequality and injustice. We must prevent the use of digital technology to extract data for unethical commercial or surveillance purposes, and we must prevent it from discriminating against minorities and vulnerable people. in insurance plans.
At the same time, we need to close the existing data gap that disproportionately affects disadvantaged people, including those from low economic status who lack access to health care or other services. communities where health data is not routinely collected.
As stated in a recently released report by The Lancet and the Financial Times Commission on Future Medical Contract Management 2030: Growing up in a Digital World, it is important that health data management mechanisms are in place to “while simultaneously protect individual rights, promote the public potential of that data, and build culture of fairness and data fairness”.
Medical Data Management Principles
It’s against this background Health Transformationa global coalition working to achieve universal health coverage through the use of technology and digital data, is now taking this call to action forward by presenting a set of Medical Data Management PrinciplesThe first global set of principles to guide the use of data in health systems.
The eight principles were developed in a global, civil society-oriented consultation process involving more than 200 collaborators from more than 130 organizations through global and regional workshops, then public consultation. The process is designed to gather expert views and knowledge and to ensure meaningful involvement of diverse stakeholders from across geographies and sectors. Engagement of young people is a particularly important priority for us at Fondation Botnar; We believe they should be treated as equal partners in developing policies and practices, especially in the areas of digital and AI.
While the principles build on existing standards, one of their main distinguishing features is that they provide a strong human rights and equity lens for the use of data within and across the globe. the entire health system. For example, the principles emphasize the need to “ensure that the benefits of data use and data-based health systems are shared equitably among all groups and populations, regardless of their specific social, economic or political point”. Therefore, they focused on universalizing the benefits of medical digitization.
In just four weeks, the principles have been endorsed by more than 80 different organizations – from the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Partnership organized by WHO, to PATH and FIND, the global alliance on diagnose.
World leaders must act now
But the principles are only the first step. This is an important milestone towards the development of an authoritative framework for health data management that supports the use of technology and digital data for the benefit of the global community – where all people and communities can share, use and benefit from health data.
At the recent World Health Assembly, we drew attention to this issue and called on world leaders to adopt these principles now endorsed by the World Bank. We hope that leaders around the globe adopt these principles, as such a global framework will allow us to reap the benefits of digital technology and data together for the benefit. global community and responsibly improve everyone’s future health.
Dr. Ulla Jasper is the head of governance and policy at Fondation Botnar.
