health.enabled

Many thanks Christopher Kunney, FHIMSS, eFACHDM, MSMOT for this thoughtful discussion and the opportunity for our CEO, Patty Mechael, to share the work that we are doing at health.enabled in taking an intentional approach to #healthequity in #digitaltransformation initiatives to improve access to and quality of health for all people.

Tackling Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV): A Call to Action A couple of weeks ago our CEO and co-founder, Patty Mechael, attended a TFGBV symposium- something that frankly was both depressing because the problem exists and is impacting so many people, and encouraging because there are organizations and people working toward addressing it. While technology is transforming every aspect of how we live and do business, for too many women and girls digital technology has become a tool of harm. Nearly 85% of women worldwide have witnessed or experienced online violence, and women are 27 times more likely than men to be harassed online. From cyberstalking and non-consensual image sharing to AI-driven discrimination, TFGBV is a growing crisis. At health.enabled, we believe that technology should be a force for good, not a weapon of oppression. Addressing TFGBV requires a collective, multi-sectoral response grounded in advocacy, research, and a gender-intentional approach: ?? Advocate for policies and platforms that center gender equity and digital safety. We need stronger protections, survivor-centered solutions, and corporate accountability to create safer online spaces. Currently, only 1 in 4 countries have legal protections against online gender-based violence. ?? Research to understand the scope and impact of TFGBV. Data-driven insights must guide policy and practice, ensuring our solutions are responsive to the lived realities of women and girls. A UN study found that 73% of women journalists have experienced online harassment, affecting their work and mental well-being. ?? Adopt a Gender-Intentional Approach in designing and deploying digital health and tech solutions. Equity must be embedded from the outset—ensuring women’s voices shape the tools meant to serve them. AI bias and digital exclusion disproportionately harm women, with 52% of women having limited or no access to digital tools. The digital age should empower, not endanger. It’s time to take action. Join us in advocating for a safer, more inclusive digital world. #TFGBV #GenderEquity #DigitalSafety

health.enabled’s CEO and Co-Founder, Patty Mechael, is presenting at Infectious Disease Alliance's upcoming Webinar on Digital Innovation in Infectious Disease Surveillance and Response: Opportunities and Challenges. The webinar will discuss the transformative role of digital technology in infectious disease management. Topics will include data analytics, artificial intelligence, real-time monitoring systems, and ethical considerations in applying digital tools to public health challenges. This event aims to foster collaboration and highlight the critical role of innovation in global health resilience. Join us for this virtual event on Wednesday, April 2 at 2:30 pm CET (8:30 am EST). Register today: https://lnkd.in/etsFxwjq? #DigitalHealth2025 #GlobalHealth

To mark #InternationalWomensDay, Transform Health and their partners launched a podcast series exploring the intersection of gender and digital health. Episode 2 features our CEO and Co-Founder, Patty Mechael, and focuses on the theme of investing in people. In conversation with Vedaang Prasad, Merry Health, YO.DH Youth Ownership of Digital Health, Betelhem Abebe Andargie, Getasew Amare, CDHi- Center for Digital Health and Implementation Science, and University of Gondar, they discuss the importance of gender analysis and research in digital health interventions to ensure that women are not excluded from the benefits of digital health. The conversation highlights the need for greater representation of women in #digitalhealth leadership and the importance of addressing gender barriers to digital health access. Tune in to health.enabled’s episode here:?https://lnkd.in/eyBsiQgG Be sure to also check out other episodes in the series here: https://lnkd.in/e_yC_Bu7 https://lnkd.in/ecwRN4ck https://lnkd.in/eRmQMb9W Collaborating partners: African Women in Digital Health (AWiDH), Speak Up Africa, Young Experts: Tech for Health, Transform Health Kenya, Girl Effect, Population Council ?#HealthForAll #UniversalHealthCoverage #GenderEquity #AccelerateAction

?? We’re excited to help promote the #DigitalHealth Initiatives Dashboard, now live on UNDP’s Digital Health for Development Hub! This interactive tool offers a comprehensive look at UNDP’s digital health work, showcasing how digital health solutions and AI are driving health systems strengthening, improving healthcare delivery, and advancing health equity—especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). ?? From disease surveillance and health commodity management to empowering health workers and enhancing diagnostics with AI, the dashboard maps ongoing interventions and highlights innovative approaches to overcoming critical health challenges. ?? Designed to support knowledge sharing, collaboration, and external partnerships, the dashboard allows users to explore projects by health priority, technology, and challenge area. This transparency helps us collectively scale impactful solutions and accelerate progress toward universal health coverage (UHC). ?? Explore the dashboard here: https://lnkd.in/exMgAYVr #DigitalHealth #AIforHealth #HealthEquity #HealthSystemsStrengthening #UNDP #UHC #GlobalHealth #DigitalTransformation

Can AI Improve Public Health Writing? Key Takeaways from Our Experiment At health.enabled, we put Generative AI to the test—comparing human vs. AI-supported approaches for developing a Technical Brief on digital health for supportive supervision in immunisation. What We Learned: ? AI = Speed: LLMs delivered major time savings during pre-writing (outlines, research questions, summaries). ?? AI ≠ Accuracy: Outputs looked polished but lacked depth, technical precision, and clear citations. ?? Human-in-the-loop is a must: Expert oversight is critical to catch inaccuracies and ensure relevance. ?? Equity blindspots: AI didn’t surface gender, geographic, or socioeconomic biases—highlighting the need for intentional equity-focused prompts, datasets, and referencing. Bottom line: A focus on accuracy is insufficient. AI can support public health writing—but only with expert guidance, clear prompts, and a focus on transparency and equity along with accuracy. #PublicHealth #AIinHealth #DigitalHealth #healthenabled #GenAI #ResponsibleAI #Gavi #AIWriting

We are committed to building a future where technology enables health and well-being for all people. As we celebrate International Women's Day, we recognize that collaboration and co-design are more important than ever in building sustainable health systems in which women are prioritized and programs are structured to advance gender equity. We must demand inclusive research, equitable digital health design, and technology that serves everyone. We must advocate for diverse leadership and investment in gender-responsive?#digitalhealth?solutions. We also need to ensure AI and health data reflect the needs of all populations. Digital health equity is not a niche issue—it’s a necessity. Let’s work together to make digital health work for?everyone.

The EU recently announced its AI Act, which bans AI applications that pose risks to safety, privacy, and dignity—such as AI-powered manipulation and exploitation of human vulnerabilities, social scoring systems, and invasive biometric tracking. As technology impacts our everyday lives, safeguards are essential for preventing harm and building trust. ?? With health classified as a high-risk category, regulatory requirements are hefty, which will lead to a significant increase in development costs for many AI-driven healthcare innovations. The need for a multi-institutional approach, collaborating across governments, private sectors, and civil society is critical to ensure health continues to receive the benefits of AI applications that are safe, accessible, and equitable. ? When done right, regulation is a guide for sustainable innovation that protects lives. We see this as an opportunity to lead by example by developing solutions that are ethical, effective, and inclusive. Through proactive engagement with these regulations, we can drive responsible innovation while ensuring AI reduces health disparities and reaches marginalized communities, including children, who deserve the highest standard of protection and care. ? Read more about our research on Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning for Immunisation in this technical brief, written in partnership with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance: https://lnkd.in/euPDsNFi #DigitalHealth #AI #AIRegulation #ChildSafety #EUAIAct #EthicalAI

In the spirit of balance and well-being, we’re embracing a Digital Detox Day —a little time to log off, be present, and nourish our offline connections. Because while we’re passionate about technology improving health globally, we also believe that the healthiest connections start face-to-face, not screen-to-screen. From all of us at health.enabled, we wish you a Valentine’s Day filled with love, joy, and a little bit of digital stillness.