Towards 2030: ministerial agreements on information systems and digital transformation for resilient health systems

Abstract

[EXTRACT]. The landscape of public health in the Region of the Americas has been transformed substantially, with many advances driven by strategic ministerial agreements and collective decisions. The Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), a crucial platform for collaboration among ministries of health, has been instrumental in this transformation. The approval of key resolutions at the 2024 session of the 61st Directing Council (1), which included the 2024-2030 Plan of Action for Strengthening Information Systems for Health (IS4H) (2) underscores the regional commitment to achieving resilience and equity through digital transformation. This editorial reflects on the final report of the 2019-2023 Plan of Action for Strengthening Information Systems for Health(3), the midterm analysis of the Roadmap for the Digital Transformation of the Health Sector in the Region of the Americas (4), and the strategic direction set towards 2030. PROGRESS FROM 2019-2023: BUILDING THE FOUNDATION OF IS4H The 2019-2023 Plan of Action for IS4H marked a major advance in digital health across the Region of the Americas. Through this period, many countries made significant progress in governance, data management, and the adoption of digital tools such as electronic health records and telehealth platforms. A regional maturity assessment revealed that 42.8% of countries were at level 1 (building awareness), with mostly analogue data systems. However, 34.7% had reached level 2, implementing best practices for managing data and information systems, while 18.4% achieved level 3, reflecting improvements in data quality and decision-making capabilities . Efforts toward data interoperability were central to these advancements. Seventeen countries adopted standards such as Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (Health Level Seven International) and the International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision (ICD-11), fostering improved data sharing and standardization. However, substantial infrastructure gaps—including outdated information technology systems, limited connectivity, and inconsistent governance—remain obstacles. Investments were made to address these challenges, but progress was uneven, with only 4.1% of countries reaching level 4 maturity in 2023 . The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated digital health initiatives, highlighting the importance of real-time data systems, interoperability, and telehealth. PAHO’s telehealth platforms, along with the adoption of digital tools such as vaccine certification systems, were critical milestones.