Ecuador has witnessed a historic shift: the National Public Policy on Digital Health Transformation is now a reality. This milestone has only been possible because of the participation of diverse actors including public and private institutions, academia, civil society, and the technology sector. Transform Health Ecuador convened these partners with a common goal: to make healthcare more accessible, efficient, and equitable for all Ecuadorians.
Transform Health Ecuador has supported this process from conception to launch – providing a space for multisectoral coordination and action. Our role has been clear: to generate dialogue, build bridges, and foster consensus among different sectors, ensuring that digital transformation responds to the real needs of citizens and becomes a tool for inclusion and social justice.
The Minister of Health, Antonio Naranjo, announced the implementation of this digital agenda for the public health system. At the event, he stated “It is an instrument that brings us completely closer to the users and the health system that is providing it”
This national policy is expected to benefit around one million patients – through easier and more transparent access to their healthcare services. From their mobile phones, they will be able to:
- Access their digital health records.
- Manage medical appointments.
- Receive reminders for preventive check-ups.
- Monitor the delivery of their medicines.
This is a fundamental step towards a health system that is closer to people, where technology ceases to be a privilege and becomes a right.
While progress is assuring, the road ahead is not as simple: as Minister Naranjo highlighted at the launch event, the implementation of digital systems has faced resistance, particularly among health professionals who, for generational or practical reasons, have found this change to be a challenge. This is precisely where the multi-sectoral coordination provided by Transform Health Ecuador played a crucial role: listening to all sectors, acknowledging their concerns, and co-creating solutions is what will ensure the sustainability of this transformation.
For Transform Health Ecuador, this progress is an invitation: to continue strengthening collaborative work, ensuring that the voices of all sectors are represented, and that digital transformation contributes to achieving universal health coverage. Because the future of health in Ecuador is built together.
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Learn more about Transform Health Ecuador: https://transformhealthcoalition.org/ecuador/
National media outlets covered the launch of this policy. Read more on these links: Ecuavisa, El Universo.