Digital health transformation has become an intrinsic part of revolutionizing health systems to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goals. Health data is a vital asset and the foundation of 21st century health systems, enabling AI; supporting healthcare professionals; strengthening equitable and resilient health systems; improving health emergency and pandemic response; empowering individuals to achieve their personal health goals; and ultimately enhancing healthcare delivery and outcomes, towards UHC goals. AI in the health sector, both for development of tools and use should be guided by ethical considerations which are aligned with human rights.Without strong political leadership, progress remains an elusive goal.
Robust legislative and governance framework must, therefore, accompany this rampant innovation to ensure that digital health interventions and AI are used safely, equitably, ethically and with transparency and ensure digital health transformation is equitable, inclusive, rights-based and sustainable. Parliamentarians are uniquely positioned to support this and to propel governments to strengthen legislative and regulatory frameworks for digital health and health data governance; and will lay a significant role in balancing related regulatory frameworks to govern the use of AI in health and translate the global principles and guidelines into their national-level health policies and regulatory systems.
This Parliamentary Inquiry aims to understand the opportunity brought by digital health, including AI and health data and what is needed to mitigate risks and build trust to harness their use to strengthen health systems, equity and outcomes. It will also delve deeper into opportunities to advance towards more robust data governance approaches, with a focus on legislative and governance aspects, and comprehend the potential of AI in health and role of different stakeholders in AI governance to strengthen health systems and ensure progress towards UHC wider health goals.
