UNICEF India, IIHMR Delhi, IIT Mumbai Introduce Digital Health Course; Details Here

The 10-week online course is a major step toward fulfilling UNICEF India's commitment to the Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH), launched during India's G20 Presidency in 2023. It caters to healthcare professionals & covers a range of topics including digital health interventions, telemedicine, health informatics & cybersecurity.

UNICEF India, along with the International Institute of Health Management Research (IIHMR) Delhi, and the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) jointly launched a comprehensive health course - 'Digital Health Enterprise Planning.

Cynthia Mc Caffrey, UNICEF India Representative said, “The digital health course launched by IIHM, IIT Mumbai and UNICEF today builds on India’s commitment to promote digital innovation in the health system by equipping healthcare professionals with cutting edge skills and leveraging digital technologies. The course catalyses innovative solutions, strengthening healthcare delivery across the country, helping accelerate reach to the last child.”  

“The transformative journey we embark on is focused on equity, its success will not be gauged by the technologies we employ but by the impact made on lives on every girl, boy and on the communities that we empower,” she added.

Prof. Sutapa B. Neogi (Director), IIHMR Delhi said, “Many health professionals lack necessary training and education in digital technology to effectively utilize digital health tools and navigate the complexities associated with its implementation. By equipping healthcare professionals with the necessary skills and knowledge, this course will enhance their competence to adapt to the digital era and optimize healthcare delivery systems across India, particularly in underserved communities.”

Digital Health Enterprise Planning Course Details

The course aims to improve healthcare delivery by using digital technologies effectively, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the GIDH.

The course will roll out from April 17, 2024. It will equip healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, healthcare administrators, and allied health professionals with the skills to support the digital transformation of the healthcare sector. Policymakers, IT professionals, and individuals involved in healthcare technology implementation too can take the course.  

The course curriculum, developed in consultation with leading experts from IIHMR Delhi, IIT Mumbai, and with technical inputs by UNICEF India, is adapted for the Indian context from a global programme offered by the Digital Health Centre of Excellence (DICE), a multi-agency consortium co-led by UNICEF and WHO.

The program is created to address the growing demand for digital health education and to bridge the gap in training among healthcare professionals.

It includes nine modules and covers a range of topics crucial to digital health implementation. It starts with understanding the link between digital technology and healthcare, progresses through planning national digital health systems, integrating digital interventions into health systems, and executing digital health initiatives using an enterprise approach. Participants will learn to develop digital health strategies, implement enterprise plans, establish digital health platforms, execute interventions, manage costing and procurement, as well as address governance, policies, regulations, and workforce issues. The course concludes with a module on the future of digital health.

The course will include online modules, virtual lectures, interactive discussions, and hands-on workshops. Instructors are drawn from experienced digital health professionals, subject matter experts, and academicians, while learning is enhanced through case studies, group projects, networking, and knowledge sharing.

Read more:

• NMC warns against fake letters issued to medical colleges
• AIIMS Patna announces various faculty posts; Apply by April 1