GENEVA — In a major push to bolster global health security and upgrade the infrastructure of health information systems worldwide, the World Health Organization (WHO) has officially unveiled a comprehensive new initiative aimed at closing critical data gaps. Titled the SCORE for Health Data Technical Package, the newly launched resource arrives as health systems across the globe continue to grapple with the unprecedented challenges and systemic pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The rollout of the package underscores an uncomfortable reality laid bare by the global health crisis: despite decades of medical advancement, too many national governments still lack both the foundational infrastructure required to routinely gather essential health data and the sophisticated analytical capacity needed to translate that information into effective, targeted public health interventions and emergency responses.
The ongoing pandemic has demonstrated beyond a doubt that timely, reliable, and disaggregated data is not merely an administrative luxury, but an absolute frontline necessity. Without accurate data, policymakers and healthcare leaders are forced to navigate blind spots, making it extraordinarily difficult to deploy scarce medical resources where they are needed most, protect vulnerable populations, or measure the true trajectory of disease outbreaks.
“Countries must be able to measure progress to make progress,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, emphasizing the core philosophy behind the new initiative. “Particularly during COVID-19, reliable data is the best way to coordinate response efforts and improve health in all areas.”
Accurate health data forms the bedrock of any functioning public health system. It enables governments to understand specific, localized country needs, evaluate the efficacy of ongoing medical interventions, and ultimately save lives. Furthermore, in times of global crisis when resources such as personal protective equipment, therapeutics, diagnostic tools, and financial aid are severely constrained, dependable data ensures that these scarce assets are distributed equitably and efficiently to the communities facing the highest risks.
To address these systemic vulnerabilities, the newly introduced SCORE Technical Package—which stands for Survey, Count, Optimize, Review, and Enable—is engineered to radically improve the availability of timely, reliable, validated, and comparable health data across member states. For the very first time, the initiative brings together all the key elements necessary for optimized health information system performance into a single, harmonized, and cohesive package.
Simply put, SCORE is designed to help governments around the globe establish rigorous benchmarks, elevate standards in healthcare delivery, and modernize their overarching national statistical frameworks. In direct response to the glaring gaps in data availability and reporting highlighted in the WHO World Health Statistics 2020 report, the comprehensive package incorporates more than 90 universally accepted tools and standards aimed at strengthening health information systems from the ground up.
The development and deployment of the SCORE Technical Package have been made possible through a strategic partnership between the World Health Organization and the Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, which provided crucial funding and programmatic support to bring the resource to fruition.
“Using data to inform public health priorities and strategies has never been more important,” said Dr. Kelly Henning, Director of Public Health Programs at Bloomberg Philanthropies. “The SCORE Technical Package provides country governments around the world with high-quality, essential technical guidance so that countries can strengthen their own data systems.”
Dr. Henning noted that WHO’s pride in partnering with the Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative reflects a shared commitment to delivering timely, actionable resources directly to nations striving to modernize their public health infrastructure. The initial release of the comprehensive package includes two foundational documents that outline the initial framework for countries to begin implementing the standardized tools.
As nations work tirelessly to emerge from the shadow of the pandemic, experts emphasize that building resilient health systems will require a fundamental shift in how governments value, collect, and utilize statistical information. Dr. Samira Asma, Assistant Director-General for Data, Analytics and Delivery for Impact at WHO, stressed that time is of the essence in addressing these long-standing deficiencies.
“We must keep score to save lives. WHO is committed to working with countries and partners to rapidly scale up capacity for data collection and use in order to improve policy and performance,” Dr. Asma added. “We must act now to invest in statistical systems in countries, respond to this pandemic and meet the SDGs and the Triple Billion targets. Our window of opportunity is closing, and we cannot wait to address data gaps. Data use to address country needs has to be a priority today.”
The push for robust data infrastructure is directly tied to broader international commitments, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the WHO’s ambitious Triple Billion targets, which seek to ensure billions more people benefit from universal health coverage, are better protected from health emergencies, and enjoy better health and well-being. According to the WHO, country-owned, disaggregated data will be essential for creating more resilient, equitable, and sustainable health systems moving forward, ensuring that marginalized populations are not left behind in national health planning.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly served as a harsh wake-up call regarding the fragility of global health data systems, international health officials maintain that it also represents a unique historical opportunity. By fostering greater global solidarity, information-sharing, and cross-border collaboration, nations can effectively "build back better" from the crisis.
The SCORE package itself is envisioned as a prime example of how a collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach can directly benefit individual countries by offering a common set of tools rooted in shared, internationally recognized standards. Designed to be practical, highly actionable, and flexible enough to adapt to diverse national contexts, the package reinforces the core message that the international community will only succeed in combatting COVID-19 and future health threats if nations work together transparently.
Looking ahead, the World Health Organization has announced that additional components of the SCORE Technical Package are scheduled for release later in the year. These upcoming additions will include the SCORE Assessment Instrument alongside comprehensive global, regional, and country status reports. Together, these forthcoming resources will form a complete, end-to-end package of information designed to help governments meticulously plan and monitor their progress against national and subnational priorities, as well as broader global health targets.
