The new agreement will expand the WHO Global Digital Health Certification Network, improving pandemic preparedness and health system resilience across the region.
By Bunmi Yekini
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Union (EU) have announced a new €8 million partnership to accelerate the digital transformation of health systems and expand the adoption of WHO’s Global Digital Health Certification Network (GDHCN) across sub-Saharan Africa.
The partnership, unveiled at the World Health Summit 2025, aims to strengthen pandemic preparedness and promote universal access to secure and interoperable digital health tools.
“This collaboration marks an important step towards making digital health a reality for all,” said Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Systems, Access and Data. “By scaling up the Global Digital Health Certification Network, we can ensure that every country, regardless of income level – has access to secure, reliable digital tools that support better health and well-being.”
The GDHCN is a global verification system that allows countries to securely recognize and validate digital health credentials across borders. It builds on the European Union Digital COVID Certificate (EU DCC), which connected 76 countries and territories during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, only four countries in the WHO African Region, Benin, Cabo Verde, Seychelles, and Togo, were able to join the EU DCC network at the time.
Since WHO took over the system in 2023, the GDHCN has demonstrated strong potential to digitize the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP), commonly known as the Yellow Card. This digital shift could help track vaccinations globally, prevent fraud, and simplify international health requirements.
“This initiative represents more than technology; it’s about building trust and readiness,” said Dr Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “Digital transformation of health systems is key to strengthening pandemic preparedness and ensuring equitable access to quality care for all Africans.”
The €8 million EU grant, running from 2025 to 2028, will fund WHO’s technical and policy support to participating African countries, in collaboration with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and other regional partners.
Mr Martin Seychell, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships, said the initiative reflects the EU’s commitment to long-term digital resilience in Africa. “Through the Team Europe Initiative and the Global Gateway strategy, we are investing in partnerships that empower people and make health systems more connected, more inclusive, and more secure.”
The WHO–EU collaboration is part of the Digital Health workstream of the Team Europe Initiative on the EU–AU Health Partnership, which seeks to build robust digital health ecosystems across the continent.
The GDHCN’s design ensures strong privacy safeguards, individuals’ personal health records are managed solely by their national health systems, with no access granted to WHO or other external parties. Participation in the network remains voluntary, built on international standards for data protection, interoperability, and cross-border collaboration.
“By empowering countries to own and manage their digital health systems, we are laying the foundation for stronger, more resilient, and more person-centered healthcare,” WHO said in a statement. “This partnership ensures that digital innovation truly serves people — today and for generations to come.”