The 26th of January marks 2 years since WHO launched its first course on OpenWHO.org introducing learners across the globe to the then novel coronavirus. That course, which has been updated 13 times to reflect the latest evidence, is now available in 45 national and local languages and has surpassed 1 million enrolments.
Overall, the OpenWHO platform hosts 6.2 million enrolments across courses on 131 topics, including 40 courses for the COVID-19 response. To address the evolving learning needs, OpenWHO has focused on key thematic areas to shape its pandemic production strategy:
- In 2020, the core focus was on providing information for mass audiences and health workers so they could protect themselves and others, including basic information about COVID-19 and infection prevention and control.
- In 2021, OpenWHO prioritized learning support for the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, providing essential information for health workers and national planning.
- This year, OpenWHO will work to expand support to countries by providing localized learning based on WHO guidelines and developing additional channels for country-originated learning content.
At the centre of this work, OpenWHO continuously seeks to advance equity in the pandemic learning response.
“Everyone deserves access to knowledge to protect their health and the health of their loved ones,” said Dr Michael Ryan, Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme. “Providing open-access online learning is an integral part of capacitating countries and communities to prepare for and respond effectively to health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic.”