Digital Health Technical Officer

The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations Public Health Organization established in 1948. The objective of the World Health Organization shall be the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health.
World Health Organization achieves its goals by performing its essential functions:
1. Take a leadership role in key health issues and create partnerships when joint action is needed;
2. Set research priorities and encourage the acquisition, application and dissemination of useful knowledge;
3. Setting standards and criteria and encouraging and monitoring them;
4. Develop ethical and evidence-based policies
5. Provide technical support, be an agent of change and build institutional capacity in a sustainable way;
6. Monitor health status and assess health trends.

Founded in 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) which aims to bring all people to the highest possible level of health, health being defined as " state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not only consisting of an absence of illness or infirmity.

In line with this mission, the Assistant Regional Directors (ARD) Cluster at WHO’s Regional Office for Africa plays a crucial role in driving health improvements across the African Region. The ARD Cluster performs cross-cutting technical functions, collaborating closely with countries and programme areas across various clusters, such as UHC Life Course, UHC Communicable and Non-Communicable, UHC Healthier Population, and Emergency Preparedness and Response. Its focus is on key subject areas to prepare WHO and Member States to make evidence-based decisions and leverage cutting-edge research and innovations.

To further WHO’s goal of Universal Health Coverage and the One Health approach, the ARD Cluster ensures that strategic priorities—such as integrated service delivery, diagnostics, laboratory services, antimicrobial resistance, research and innovation, and data analytics—are embedded in programs at all levels. While each unit within the cluster has distinct responsibilities, their collective purpose is to offer technical support and expert advisory services, strengthening coordination, platforms, and partnerships between WHO, Member States, and regional and global partners.

Among the six technical teams in the Cluster is the Science, Innovation, and Digital Health Unit, guided by the Assistant Regional Director (ARD). This unit is dedicated to strengthening digital health capabilities across Member States in the African Region. This commitment is driven by significant milestones, including contributions to the Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020-2025, the 2020 endorsement and enactment of the WHO Africa Region's digital health strategy and resolution, the establishment of the Digital Health Action Framework in August 2021, and the release of an AI governance and ethics document in June 2021.

However, there is a current challenge in the varying degrees of implementation of the global strategy among Member States, leading to a fragmented and uncoordinated execution of our strategic digital health program. The existing approach, characterized by small-scale pilots and the utilization of various tools and software solutions, often falls short of addressing the actual challenges faced by Ministries of Health. Therefore, we recognize the urgent need to streamline ongoing and future activities within the digital health domain across programs and clusters in the region, requiring the development of a strategic program that is both impactful and sustainable over time.

To support this initiative, the ARD Cluster is seeking a Digital Health Technical Officer to support various digital initiatives in the regional office. The Digital Health Technical Officer will report to the Assistant Regional Director.

• Support the delivery of the Regional Digital Health Implementation Framework’s targets by 2030.
• Assist in the implementation of the Regional Digital Health Programme.
• Provide technical support and guidance to Member States to leverage the digital health revolution effectively.
• Ensure coordination of digital health and innovation across the regional office, including organizing and facilitating workstream meetings.
• Support ongoing digital health initiatives at the regional office.
• Assist Member States in strengthening digital health implementation at the country level.
• Document best practices of digital health and innovation at the country level.
• Assist in donor reporting and proposal preparation.
• Support the Cluster Director in communicating the achievements and results of digital health initiatives.
• Provide support to the Digital Health Technical Advisory Group.
• Undertake any other assignment as requested by the supervisor.