PAHO launches new virtual programme to advance digital skills among health workers across the Americas
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has announced the launch of its new Digital Literacy Programme for Health Sector Personnel, a fully online initiative aimed at enhancing the digital capabilities of individuals working in health care throughout the Americas. This programme is a direct response to growing demands for digitally enabled health services and aims to bridge the digital divide within the health workforce by fostering equitable, accessible, and technology-driven care systems.
As health care systems across the world continue to evolve with digital innovation, the Region of the Americas still faces significant disparities in access to and effective utilisation of digital health tools. These include electronic health records, mobile applications for patient monitoring, telemedicine platforms, and epidemiological alert systems. The programme seeks to address these challenges by upskilling personnel and preparing them to integrate digital technologies into daily practice to improve service delivery, coordination, and quality of care.
“This programme aims to close those gaps by equipping health personnel with key knowledge to lead change in their workplaces,” said Marcelo D’Agostino, Unit Chief for Information Systems and Digital Health at PAHO. “With renewed competencies for the digital world, the Region will move toward more resilient and equitable health systems,” he added.
The initiative is built around a robust and interdisciplinary curriculum that will provide participants with foundational and advanced competencies in a range of digital domains. These include:
- Digital transformation in health systems
- Artificial intelligence and its application in health care
- Data governance and ethical data management
- Telehealth and remote care services
- Vital statistics and their digital integration
- Health information interoperability
- Big data analytics for public health
- Infodemic management and combating health misinformation
- Digital diplomacy and international health cooperation
The programme has been structured as an immersive and flexible learning journey, offering a blend of technical modules, interactive policy dialogues with regional and global experts, keynote presentations, and collaborative learning forums. Real-world case studies from the Region will help ground theory in practice, and a self-assessment tool will allow participants to tailor the programme to their individual learning needs and professional goals.
Delivered through PAHO’s Virtual Campus for Public Health, the sessions are entirely free of charge and accessible in both English and Spanish, with simultaneous interpretation available. Additional thematic courses will also be offered to deepen knowledge in specific areas of interest.
By investing in the digital literacy of people working across the health sector—from front-line professionals to administrative and managerial staff—PAHO hopes to support the development of health systems that are interconnected, interoperable, and inclusive. This vision aligns with the call made by the Ministers of Health of the Americas during PAHO’s 59th Directing Council in 2021, which urged the Organisation to lead efforts towards the digital transformation of health care, ensuring that no one is excluded from accessing the highest possible level of health and well-being in the digital age.
The Digital Literacy Programme for Health Sector Personnel will officially launch on Wednesday, 16 April 2025. PAHO and the World Health Organization (WHO) are inviting all health workers across the Americas to register and participate in this important initiative, which promises to equip the workforce with the skills needed to thrive in an increasingly digital health landscape.
