The Way Forward: Priorities for Action
Participants left the dialogue with a shared agenda and concrete commitments to be advanced over the next three to six months. These actions are being take forward by different participant groupings and will also expand to others not engaged in the Wilton Park dialogue.
Value Proposition and Narrative
Develop DPI-for-health value narratives tailored to four distinct audiences: political leaders, finance ministries, health providers, and citizens. These narratives will lead with outcomes and services rather than infrastructure and will be grounded in an expanding evidence base built through a collaborative research agenda and the documentation of quick wins from existing work. A co-authored article will be produced to advance the public case.
Governance and Accountability
Produce practical guidance on establishing cross-sector DPI governance bodies, covering roles, mandates, and accountability frameworks, alongside a governance readiness assessment that countries can use to evaluate their capacity to succeed with DPI for specific health sector goals. This “pre-cursor” assessment will help countries and partners identify what governance conditions must be in place before committing to shared service investments and will describe governance archetypes and decision criteria rather than prescribing a single institutional model. Partners will actively encourage heads of state to make public commitments to foundational DPI bodies – a signal that this agenda sits above any single ministry or programme and requires sustained political ownership.
Financing Models
Work to shift financing from project-based capital expenditure to service-oriented, multi-year models oriented around the full lifecycle of shared digital capabilities. This includes piloting cross-ministry cost-recovery and shared-benefit approaches explicitly linked to domestic financing mechanisms such as health accounts and insurance, developing investment cases for development banks that connect DPI capabilities to measurable unit costs and operating models, and engaging Ministries of Finance as strategic partners in the design and resourcing of shared infrastructure. A cross-sector convening will be held to help advance this agenda.
Capacity and Skills
Conduct a capacity gap assessment across low- and middle-income countries, with a survey launching at the end of February 2026[1]. Findings will directly inform the development of curricula and coaching programmes, with a particular focus on digital and enterprise architect roles that are currently absent from most government structures. All training programmes will include re-entry plans to ensure learning translates into action.
Exemplars and Use Cases
Finalise four to five country case studies – drawing on experience from Ethiopia, Zambia, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines – to demonstrate concrete impact and provide an accessible evidence base for advocates and decision-makers. A shared inventory of available materials will be developed, and key findings synthesised into formats suitable for a range of audiences.
Community of Practice
Continue to foster a DPI-for-health community of practice. Over time this can become a living home for shared tools, lessons, and guidance, and will draw on an existing knowledge base to connect practitioners across countries and institutions. This is expected to grow organically over time.
Communications and Advocacy
Develop an audience map identifying champions, key entities, and tailored messages for each audience. This would be paired with a repository of key messages linking DPI to health outcomes, service quality, and fiscal efficiency. Together these will equip partners to engage consistently and effectively across major global forums throughout 2026. A white paper, co-authored by members of the group, will also be produced to advance the broader advocacy agenda.
[1] Planning is underway for this.