The network's participation in this global gathering reaffirmed Latin America and the Caribbean's leadership in building a more interoperable, collaborative, and people-centered digital health system.
In July, the Latin America and Caribbean Network for Digital Health (RACSEL) was present at the Global Digital Collaboration Conference, held in Geneva, Switzerland. The gathering, co-organized by 40 intergovernmental, standards development, and open-source organizations, brought together more than 2,000 participants from various public and private sectors linked to digital health.
During the conference, RACSEL took part in a panel focused on digital health credentials, technical standards, and government experiences. In this session, the Regional Technical Coordinator, Carlos Nuñez, presented the fundamental pillars RACSEL works on: disseminating knowledge, developing and delivering tools with corresponding platform testing, and collaboration between countries to strengthen health interoperability.
Carlos Nuñez also detailed the standards and components underpinning the interoperability promoted by RACSEL, including HL7 FHIR, SNOMED-CT, and ICD-11, as well as the International Patient Summary (IPS) and digital vaccination certificates. He also highlighted the World Health Organization's Global Digital Health Certification Network (GDHCN), and the use of apps and digital wallets to make it easier for people to access their health information.
In his remarks, RACSEL, as a strategic partner, highlighted the Pan American Health Digital Highway (PH4H) as an example of regional collaboration. This initiative, led by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, seeks to ensure more connected and inclusive health for everyone. The panel included representatives from the Middle East, East Africa, Europe, and Latin America and the Caribbean, establishing itself as a space for global exchange that made it possible to showcase the progress and challenges in the digital transformation of health internationally.
