Technical Officer - Digital Health And AI

Organizational Context

The WHO's SE/HSD Department of Health Systems aims to strengthen health systems in the South-East Asia Region to achieve Universal Health Coverage and SDG 2030 targets. The Health Information, Digital Health & AI (HDA) Unit within this department supports countries in leveraging digital technologies and AI to enhance health service access, quality, and equity. The Unit provides technical leadership and guidance for developing secure, inclusive, and human-rights-aligned digital health ecosystems.

Job Purpose

This role supports the WHO's SE/HSD Department in strengthening health systems through digital health and AI initiatives across Member States. The primary purpose is to provide technical leadership, strategic guidance, and capacity-building to help countries design, govern, and scale secure, inclusive, and human-rights-aligned digital health ecosystems. This involves contributing to the development and implementation of regional and country-level digital health and AI strategies, assessing innovations, and identifying solutions that improve health service access, quality, efficiency, affordability, and equity. The role also supports policy dialogue, partnership coordination, and knowledge generation to drive sustainable digital transformation in the health sector.

Responsibilities

Provide technical support for developing and implementing regional and country-level digital health and AI strategies, including innovation assessment. Offer technical assistance to Member States for designing, implementing, and evaluating digital health strategies, governance frameworks, and AI tools aligned with national priorities. Develop and adapt WHO guidelines and tools for digital health governance, cybersecurity, data quality, interoperability, and privacy safeguards. Engage in policy dialogue and advocacy with government officials and partners on digital transformation enablers. Coordinate partnerships with various stakeholders to harmonize digital health initiatives. Generate evidence, develop policy briefs, and support resource mobilization for digital health programs. Communicate progress, challenges, and impact of digital health initiatives to Member States and leadership. Provide high-quality technical and administrative support to country offices to strengthen their capacity.

Work Experience

Essential: Minimum of five years of relevant experience in implementing digital technologies, including AI in the health sector, with experience in digital health strategy development or implementation at the country level. Desirable: Experience with UN or other development agencies in digital health, and international experience within the WHO South-East Asia Region.

Skills

Demonstrated technical expertise in digital health, health information systems, and AI in health. Strong analytical skills for assessing global trends and developing strategies. Knowledge of digital health governance, interoperability, data protection, and cybersecurity. Excellent verbal and written communication in English. Ability to work collaboratively in multicultural environments. Familiarity with digital health maturity levels, enterprise architecture, and digital public infrastructure is desirable.

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