WHO will create a global health passport inspired by the European model

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced today that it will adopt the digital certificate system used by the European Union (EU) during COVID-19, to deal with future pandemics and similar health threats.

The WHO It will be inspired by the EU’s digital COVID certificate to launch a global certification system after the signing of an association this Monday “historical”.

The CEO of the WHOTedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and the European Commissioner for Health, Stella Kyriakidessigned in Geneva this “Historic initiative to strengthen global health security”.

According to Tedros Adhanom, this initiative will be the first step in the organization’s Global Digital Health Certification Network.

“The COVID-19 pandemic showed the importance of digital solutions to facilitate access to health servicesTedros said at the signing ceremony.

Tedros pointed out that the European passport will be transformed into a “global public good”.

“The WHO aims to offer all its member states access to an open source digital health tool, based on the principles of equity, innovation, transparency and data and privacy protection”Tedros said in a joint statement from the WHO and the European Commission.

“These new digital health products aim to help people around the world receive quality healthcare services faster and more effectively.”, the Ethiopian expert said in a statement.

This future global digital certification system should, according to the statement, “facilitate mobility and protect citizens around the world against current and future health threats, including pandemics”.

It is the first element of the global digital health certification network of the WHOwhich will developa wide range of digital products to improve the health of all”, such as international digital vaccination certificates. The EU health passport is the most widely used in the world.

For her part, the EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, stated that this association “is an important step for the digital action plan of the Union’s Global Health Strategy”.

The Cypriot qualified the WHO of the “best possible partner” on digital health.

For his part, the European Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services, Thierry Breton, was pleased that the WHO had acquired “cutting edge technologies” of the EU to create a global tool against future pandemics.

Breton recalled that the European system of digital certificates for COVID has already been established in almost eighty countries and has facilitated the reactivation of tourism after the pandemic.

The adoption of this certificate system by WHO will start before the end of June and will be fully developed in the coming months.

With information from AFP and EFE