Maseru – The Ministry of Well being of Lesotho, in partnership with key stakeholders and with technical and monetary help from the World Well being Group (WHO), has efficiently validated its draft Digital Well being Technique 2025-2030. This marks a big milestone within the nation’s efforts to harness the ability of digital applied sciences to strengthen its healthcare system, enhance well being outcomes, and obtain its broader well being and well-being objectives.
Lesotho, like many countries throughout the globe, acknowledges the rising potential of digital applied sciences in reworking healthcare. Consistent with the WHO’s world well being objectives and the UN 2.0 framework, the Digital Well being Technique goals to leverage rising applied sciences resembling distant monitoring, massive information analytics, and extra, to enhance healthcare supply, improve medical diagnoses, and promote person-centered care. Moreover, by leveraging digital well being instruments, Lesotho goals to boost the standard of care, increase entry to well being providers, and enhance illness surveillance. The technique additionally focuses on strengthening the talents and competencies of healthcare professionals via evidence-based digital well being interventions.
The three-day workshop, held from November 27-29, 2024, noticed Dr. Derrick Muneene and Dr. Rosemary Foster from WHO’s Division of Digital Well being and Innovation engaged with a various group of native stakeholders introduced collectively by the Ministry of Well being. Collectively, they assessed the present state of digital well being maturity in Lesotho and developed strategic targets for the long run. These discussions laid the groundwork for the Digital Well being Technique 2025-2030, which seeks to supply a roadmap for the combination of digital well being instruments into nationwide healthcare techniques.
On December 10, 2024, key stakeholders gathered for a half-day validation workshop to evaluate and refine the draft strategic targets and corresponding actions. The suggestions from this workshop will likely be integrated into the technique, which will likely be introduced for endorsement by the Ministry of Well being management. This collaborative strategy ensures that the technique displays the wants and priorities of Lesotho’s healthcare system and is aligned with world greatest practices.
Integrating the UN 2.0 Framework
The event of the Digital Well being Technique 2025-2030 aligns with the UN 2.0 framework, which emphasizes leveraging digital transformation to advance the Sustainable Growth Targets (SDGs). The framework’s give attention to inclusivity, multistakeholder collaboration, and digital innovation is mirrored in Lesotho’s strategy to addressing healthcare challenges. By embedding the rules of the UN 2.0 framework, the technique ensures that digital well being interventions are equitable, moral, and sustainable, fostering a future-ready well being system that leaves nobody behind.
Talking throughout the validation train Ministry of Well being ICT Director, Lesotho- Mr. Tsele Moloeli expressed his pleasure within the seeing this technique validated.
“As a Ministry, we stay optimistic and stay up for implementing this technique throughout the well being sector. This technique has generated quite a lot of curiosity amongst our companions. Because of WHO and different stakeholders for the help up to now and past this validation train,” stated Mr. Tsele Moloeli, Ministry of Well being ICT Director, Lesotho.
“As WHO, we’re completely satisfied to help Lesotho’s Ministry of Well being on this vein. We now have and proceed to advocate for the combination of digital well being into nationwide well being techniques and help international locations in growing their nationwide digital well being methods. All these efforts goal to advertise evidence-based digital well being interventions which are moral, safe, and sustainable whereas guaranteeing that every one individuals profit in a secure and equitable method,” stated Dr. Mesfin Zbelo, Well being Methods Advisor, WHO Lesotho.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Growth underscores the significance of digital applied sciences in bridging the digital divide and creating educated societies. By aligning with the UN 2.0 framework and leveraging digital instruments, Lesotho’s Digital Well being Technique will contribute to bettering the well being and well-being of its individuals whereas supporting the nation’s broader well being objectives and commitments to the SDGs. This technique serves as a mannequin for different nations looking for to harness the transformative energy of digital applied sciences to attain common well being protection and sustainable growth.