World Economic Forum: Towards a Charter on Global Health Data

Availability of information is a prerequisite to health systems improvement which would allow setting priorities, allocating resources, assessing effectiveness and performance, and promoting accountability. Recognized as a cornerstone to any health reform in the developed world, availability of information also plays a key role in helping emerging countries priorities interventions. IHF participated to a workshop held on December 10th, 2009, in Cologny, Switzerland.

The workshop gathered experts and partners to open the dialogue to evaluate how to articulate a ‘Global Charter on Health Data’. Discussions concerned vision and values of the charter, its scope, themes and principles, the different stakeholders, etc.

The objectives of this dialogue are to:
1) Document history and current status of national and international initiatives
2) Facilitate a dialogue to develop and agree on the broad principles of a “Global Charter on health data”
3) Obtain support and engagement of key stakeholders to turn these principles into significant actions and initiatives.

All participants agreed on the fact that there is a need for better (high quality) health data to improve health – both for the individual and the health system as a whole.
For this reason, a health data charter/code of conduct needs to be developed that articulates a set of principles that a group of signatories believe to be important.

More information will be further provided on this topic.

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