About WHO
Our primary role is to direct and coordinate international health within the United Nations system. Our main areas of work are health systems; health through the life-course; noncommunicable and communicable diseases; preparedness, surveillance and response; and corporate services.Activities by WHO
Global Initiative on Artificial Intelligence for Health (GI-AI4H)
Global Not Applicable
The GI-AI4H is a global collaboration initiative led by ITU, WHO, and WIPO, dedicated to ensuring that AI improves health outcomes ethically and equitably. Its work is centered on three pillars:
• Enable: Develop International standards, governance, and ethical frameworks for safe use of AI in Health.
• Facilitate: Promote knowledge and data sharing, foster multi-stakeholder partnerships and strengthen global cooperation.
• Implement: Support scalable real-world deployment of AI in health, especially in low-resource settings.
The initiative delivers benchmarking tools, policy guidance, innovation insights, and best practices to build trusted AI-enabled health systems and its ultimate goal is to make AI-driven healthcare trustworthy, inclusive, sustainable, and accessible worldwide.
Using Social Media Tools to Monitor and Fight the COVID-19 Infodemic
AfricaThis project has two components. First, it conducts social media listening exercises in Africa to understand conversations related to COVID-19 and poliovirus. Second, it supports research to test interventions to reduce vaccine hesitancy among social media users using machine learning.
Activity Type Research/Reports/AssessmentsAwareness/AdvocacyAI Engine for Decision Making in Ebola Crisis
Africa Democratic Republic of the CongoUNU Macau and Umeå University are leading an international consortium and delivering an AI engine for urgent decision-making during the Ebola crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo. By uniting epidemiologists, anthropologists, and AI scientists, the tool provides evidence-based insights to lower transmission rates, enhance care quality, and protect healthcare workers.
Activity Type AI Tools/SolutionsThe Global Initiative on AI for Health (GI-AI4H)
GlobalThe launch of the GI-AI4H is a landmark moment of harnessing the potential of AI in health. This transition was and is possible thanks to the commitment of three key United Nations agencies, the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to enable, facilitate and implement the adoption of AI-based technologies for health. The setting up of the GI-AI4H moves beyond the traditional boundaries of individual organizations. It is a testament to the recognition that addressing the complex challenges and opportunities presented by AI in health requires a multidimensional and collaborative approach. By pooling their joint expertise and resources the initiative aims at becoming a powerful force aligned to two core objectives: Firstly, the GI-AI4H is dedicated to ensuring innovation and global accessibility to AI solutions across healthcare services. In leveraging AI, WHO envisions a future where innovative technologies bridge gaps in healthcare delivery, making essential services accessible to everyone, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Secondly, the promotion of ethical and equitable advancements in health AI technology. Recognizing the potential risks and disparities associated with AI from its inception in policymaking to the implementation on the ground, the initiative places a strong emphasis on ensuring that technological progress is accompanied by principles of fairness, inclusivity, and ethical considerations. This commitment underscores the intention to create a healthcare landscape where the benefits of AI are equitably distributed, leaving no one behind.
Activity Type Research/Reports/Assessments