We are delighted to share that SAPPHIRE members have been accepted by the Asia Pacific Observatory on Health Systems and Policies (APO) consortium as a thematic partner for the next five years (2025–2030) under the theme “Use of digital health technologies and data to enhance health system outcomes.” The consortium is led by the Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program Foundation – HITAP International Unit (Thailand), with members from Hitotsubashi University – Hitotsubashi Institute for Advanced Study (Japan), Mahidol University – Department of Tropical Hygiene and Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Faculty of Tropical Medicine (Thailand), and Universitas Padjadjaran – Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Care Innovation (Indonesia).
As a thematic partner, members of consortium will contribute to APO’s work by supporting research and policy-related activities under the selected theme. Beyond producing evidence, the consortium will work with the APO Secretariat and policymakers to identify priority issues, synthesize and share findings, strengthen local capacity in health systems and policy research, and help promote the use of evidence in decision-making. This partnership model is designed not only to generate regionally relevant evidence, but also to strengthen local leadership and connect research more directly to policy action across the Asia Pacific region.
The first project under this consortium will focus on “Developing an Evidence Guide to Strengthen Public Investment Decisions for Digital Health Technologies in Low- and Middle-Income Countries” which will support policymakers and researchers by identifying the types of evidence appropriate to guide decisions while taking into account resource constraints in the context of low- and middle-income countries. This project is expected to complete by end of 2027. For more information, please visit: https://www.hitap.net/en/research-detail/?research_id=432
On behalf of the SAPPHIRE Secretariat, congratulations again for this achievement. We look forward to seeing how this partnership advances practical evidence on digital health and data grounded in Asia Pacific realities and supports stronger, more equitable health system outcomes over the next five years.
