In a bid to increase access to quality healthcare services, Zanzibar’s Ministry of Health recently launched its digital health strategic plan. The five year (2021 - 2025) strategic plan was launched by the Minister for Health, Honourable Hamad Rashid in Unguja. The Plan aims at improving the provision of safer, equitable, accessible, efficient, and effective health services at all levels through proper use of affordable digital health technologies.

The Digital Health Strategy is aligned to the Zanzibar Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (ZSGRP II) and complements currently functioning digital health solutions namely the District Health Information System (DHIS2), the electronic Logistics Management Information System (eLMIS) and the Malaria surveillance system.

“The strategy gives direction for the transformation of the entire health system with the goal to increase use of client level systems that facilitate delivery of safe and quality health care,” said the Director General, MoH, Dr. Jamala Taib.

The milestone enjoins Zanzibar to more than 120 countries and territories worldwide that have developed policies and strategies on eHealth. WHO together with the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), USAID, PATH and D-Tree International supported the development and launch of the strategy. 

The WHO Liaison Officer to Zanzibar Dr. Ghirmay Andemichael commended Zanzibar for developing and launching the digital health strategic plan. He said the plan displayed  Zanzibar’s commitment to improve access and quality of health services.

Digital health is the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) by individuals, health providers, and health systems to enhance the demand, access, coverage, delivery, quality, and affordability of health information and service delivery for all. 

A resolution of World Health Assembly in 2005 urged Member States to consider developing long-term strategic plans for creating and implementing eHealth services to promote equitable, affordable and universal access to their benefits.

Additionally, in 2013 the World Health Assembly adopted a Resolution on eHealth standardization and interoperability. The follow up resolution urged Member States to develop policies and legislative mechanisms to govern digital health in their countries.