The World Health Organization (WHO) has broadened its digital health certification initiative for Hajj pilgrims through a new collaboration with Saudi Arabia. The programme aims to support approximately three million annual pilgrims by providing them with digital health cards containing essential medical information.
Following a successful pilot involving 250,000 pilgrims from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Oman in 2024, the initiative is now set to expand. The digital health cards, which operate on WHO’s Global Digital Health Certification Network (GDHCN), contain crucial health data including medication requirements, allergies, immunisation records, and pre-existing conditions.
Commenting on the development, Dr Jeremy Farrar, WHO Chief Scientist, said: “Today marks a notable progress in WHO’s support to Member States to expand access to safer and person-centred digital health tools for people to improve their access to quality health care when and where they need it.”
Technical infrastructure supports cross-border healthcare
The GDHCN, launched in 2023, employs public key infrastructure encryption to ensure the security and verifiability of health credentials across borders. The system, which originally supported COVID-19 vaccination certificates, now encompasses more than 80 WHO Member States and utilises the International Patient Summary (IPS) ISO standard.
The Saudi Government, along with their digital implementation partner LEAN, provides technical support and data security expertise to countries joining the programme. This collaboration enables participating nations to issue their own national versions of the health card whilst maintaining global standardisation.
Regional impact and future applications Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, highlighted the broader implications: “This exciting partnership between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the World Health Organization to expand the Hajj health card initiative enhances the safety and well-being of millions of pilgrims.”
The system’s architecture allows for potential future applications beyond pilgrim healthcare. The infrastructure could support cross-border electronic prescriptions, insurance verification, and telemedicine services. Additionally, the standardised approach reduces administrative burden at border controls whilst improving the quality of healthcare delivery.
The digital health card system prioritises individual privacy and patient autonomy. Pilgrims maintain control over their health information, choosing which details to share with authorised healthcare providers. This approach ensures that whilst healthcare providers can access necessary medical information, patient confidentiality is preserved. The initiative represents a significant step toward standardised international health documentation, particularly beneficial for mass gatherings such as the Hajj, which attracts pilgrims from over 180 countries annually. The system’s successful implementation during the pilot phase demonstrates the feasibility of large-scale digital health certification whilst maintaining security and accessibility standards.
