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The Government of Spain has approved the Spanish Global Health Strategy 2025-2030 (EESG), a roadmap that reinforces the country’s international commitment to improve global health from an inclusive, sustainable and human rights-based approach.

The EESG was born in a context marked by the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, the climate crisis, the increase in inequalities and the threats to multilateral governance. With it, Spain becomes the fifth country in the European Union to adopt a specific global health strategy, aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the principles of equity, social justice, sustainability and international cooperation.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated the Center for Digital Ethics at Delft University of Technology (Netherlands) as its new Collaborating Center on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for health governance. This designation recognizes the center’s outstanding track record in research on responsible innovation and its leadership in integrating ethical values into the design of digital technologies.

AI has the potential to transform healthcare, improve clinical outcomes, and expand access to medical services. However, its implementation must be guided by sound ethical principles, evidence-based policies, and effective governance. The collaboration between WHO and TU Delft seeks to ensure that the adoption of AI in health is done in a safe, equitable, and responsible manner.

The TU Delft Center for Digital Ethics will play a crucial role in the WHO’s efforts to promote the ethical and responsible use of AI in health.

Today, healthcare is increasingly shaping up for a digital future, integrating technological advances that are transforming the way healthcare is delivered. Innovations such as social media applications, the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other digital tools are enabling doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals to improve efficiency, make care safer and overcome physical barriers. These technological advances not only facilitate more accurate diagnosis but also empower more effective patient monitoring and management.

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that the future of healthcare will necessarily involve the implementation of digital health strategies.

In fact, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) defines the National e-Health Strategy as “the application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to Health”, highlighting the crucial role of ICT for the collection, analysis and dissemination of health data. In this context, some countries have already implemented advanced systems for managing medical information, as in the United Kingdom, where digitization is key to ensuring a more efficient and accessible health service.

The Spanish Ministry of Health has released an analysis of data related to hospitals and specialty centers in Spain, including bed capacity, annual costs, and a decade-long evolution from 2013 to 2022.

The report shows that Spain has a total of 751 hospitals, with 449 (60%) forming part of the National Health System (SNS).

Altogether, hospitals offer 155,077 installed beds, with 82.5% (126,004) within the SNS network and 17.75% (29,073) in the private sector. The total number of beds per 1,000 inhabitants decreased slightly, from 3.30 in 2013 to 3.24 in 2022. During the same period, outpatient care processes increased from 41.72% to 48.30%.

How much does the industry invest in clinical research in Spain? In 2023, it was over €830 million. 

During the SEDISA Foundation Debates, various specialists shared their views on the present and future of healthcare research, as well as the role of the pharmaceutical industry and the digitalization of healthcare.

Concha Serrano, Trustee of Pfizer, stated during the event: “According to the latest research data, in 2023, €834 million were invested in clinical research in Spain by the industry. Fifty-two percent corresponds to studies in phases one and two, the most initial and complex phases.”

The working group Women Leaders in Healthcare (WLHC) organized the event “Health Does Have a Gender” in November to address the female health gap and its impact on social and economic sectors.

Women Leaders in Healthcare is a group driven by female leaders in Spain who aim to build and contribute solutions to current and future problems across all sectors influenced by health.

During the event, professionals from various sectors analyzed the situation in Spain regarding the gender health gap as a structural issue, the impact of bias in the diagnosis and treatment of women, and its economic and political implications.

At the debate held in Madrid, women from different fields called for the creation of a National Health Strategy with a Gender Perspective.