Digital Integration to Support Fighting Noncommunicable Diseases

Digitalization is revolutionizing the way we live our lives, the way we learn, we access information, and we interact. Digitalization will also significantly shape the future of global health and therefore plays a critical, yet decisive role. It entails an unprecedented potential to improve healthcare services, its delivery and sustainability. It thus also brings many exciting opportunities in the diagnostic sector, the treatment and management of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs).

Despite the evident need for healthcare services by people living with NCDs, exogenic factors such as distance, costs, mobility, displacement, and emergencies negatively affect service delivery, hindering appropriate access. Apex of this negative influence by external factors was the COVID-19 pandemic. It worsened the situation, as - physical - access to health services was limited and facilities were preoccupied with COVID-19 treatment. Furthermore, most NCD patients were forced to stay home as they were considered be at a higher risk. Beyond stress and anxiety, this also created a backlog for diagnosis and treatments.

However, these challenges have also functioned as a positive catalyzer and led to a never seen before development of digital health innovations. NCDs and its patients represent a core beneficiary group from this thrust of innovation. In order to fully benefit from this promising future, not only partnerships between governments / policy-makers and the private sector, academia, IT specialists, civil society, and other relevant stakeholders are crucial, but also changes to the policy frameworks are required.

This session will reflect on recent experiences, best practices and future opportunities and discuss possible suggested ways forward.