WHO launches two new mobile apps

One of the apps is designed to support health workers during COVID19 and the other informs the public of the latest news and developments on the virus.

The World Health Organization launched the WHO Academy app designed to support health workers during COVID-19, and the WHO Info app designed to inform the general public, in May.

The WHO Academy is a project initiated last June by the WHO in collaboration with the French government. The Academy which will commence full operations in May 2021 will have a state-of-the-art digital learning experience platform at a campus in Lyon. Its activities will also be integrated into the work of WHO in all its six regions.

It is aimed at revolutionizing lifelong learning for health workers in an increasingly digitalised world, bringing together adult learning science, behavioural science and cutting-edge learning technologies including artificial intelligence and virtual reality. These will be within the context of WHO’s norms, standards and evidence and aimed at delivering high-impact accredited and tailored multilingual learning to meet the diverse needs of workers in today’s world.

In March, the Academy conducted a global survey to identify the information needs of health workers in the context of COVID-19. There was response from over 20,000 health workers. This feedback informed the development of the WHO Academy app. It will provide health workers with mobile access to a wealth of COVID-19 knowledge resources, developed by WHO, that include up-to-the-minute guidance, tools, training, and virtual workshops that will help them care for COVID-19 patients and protect themselves.

The other app launched at the same time by the WHO provides real-time mobile access to the latest global news and developments for everybody. The very useful app will allow people to be better enlightened during the “infodemic” generated from the spread and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The app will provide news on the latest WHO initiatives, partnerships, and to up-to-date information on the race to find medicines and vaccines for fighting the disease.

The WHO Academy application for health workers is available for download in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish on both the Apple app store and Google play store for android. The WHO Info app is also available for free download from both the Apple app store and Google play store.