Strategy

Empowering Health Systems through Leadership, Strategy and Innnovation

From Vision to Execution in Global Digital Health


eSHIFT Partner Network exists to close one of the most persistent gaps in global health: the gap between strategy and implementation.


Since our founding in 2012, we have worked alongside governments, donors, and technical partners to design and implement digital health systems that are practical, interoperable, and sustainable —particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Our strategy reflects more than a decade of hands-on experience in complex environments, where ambition must be matched with delivery.


At its core, eSHIFT’s strategy is guided by three mutually reinforcing pillars: Leadership and Capacity, Strategy and Blueprints, and Architecture and Infrastructure. Together, they enable countries and institutions to move from fragmented initiatives toward coherent, resilient digital health ecosystems aligned with national priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals.


1. Leadership and Capacity

Strengthening people and institutions to lead digital health​

Digital health transformation is not primarily a technology challenge—it is a leadership and capability challenge. Sustainable systems depend on institutions that can make informed decisions, govern complex ecosystems, and adapt to change.


Our objective is to strengthen leadership and institutional capacity within Digital Health Organizations (DHOs), ministries, and partner institutions in LMICs.

How we work

  • Foster proactive leadership
    We support organizations in moving beyond short-term, donor-driven responses toward proactive, strategic leadership. This includes helping decision-makers anticipate emerging trends—such as artificial intelligence, connected devices, and distributed data architectures—while remaining grounded in national realities.
  • Capacity building rooted in practice
    Our training and mentoring are closely linked to real-world programs and systems. We focus on building durable skills across policy, enterprise architecture, governance, and implementation—not just tools or platforms.
  • Digital sovereignty and trust
    We work with stakeholders to strengthen understanding of data governance, privacy, and national digital sovereignty, including concepts such as self-sovereign identity. Trust is foundational to digital health, and it must be designed, not assumed.

2. Strategy and Blueprints

Turning complexity into clear, actionable pathways

Many countries face an abundance of digital health initiatives but a shortage of coherent, implementable strategy. eSHIFT specializes in translating ambition into clear roadmaps and blueprints that can be executed incrementally and sustainably.


Our objective is to develop strategies and reference blueprints that are technically sound, politically realistic, and operationally achievable.


How we work

  • Enterprise architecture–driven blueprints
    Our strategies are grounded in Enterprise Architecture and TOGAF-informed methods, allowing countries to see how policies, processes, information, and technology fit together. This makes complex transformations understandable and manageable.
  • Focus on priority health challenges
    We develop targeted blueprints for high-impact areas such as antimicrobial resistance, routine surveillance, emergency preparedness, and health economics—ensuring digital investments directly support public health outcomes.
  • Standards and interoperability by design
    We align our work with international standards including HL7 FHIR and the International Patient Summary, ensuring systems can interoperate across programs, vendors, and borders. Interoperability is treated as a governance and design issue, not an afterthought.
  • Knowledge as a shared asset
    Through knowledge hubs and communities of practice, we enable countries and partners to learn from one another, reduce duplication, and accelerate progress collectively.

3. Architecture and Infrastructure

Building systems that last


Digital systems must be robust enough to operate in constrained environments, flexible enough to evolve, and sustainable beyond individual projects or funding cycles.


Our objective is to design and support scalable, interoperable digital health infrastructure that countries can own, govern, and grow.


How we work

  • Reference platforms and architectures
    Design and implement reference ICT platforms that provide shared services—such as registries, interoperability layers, and analytics—while allowing programs and innovations to evolve independently.
  • Technology with purpose
  • We selectively apply technologies such as DPI, DPGs, commerical systems and AI, IoT,  where they add real value, improve efficiency, or strengthen trust—always grounded in feasibility and context.
  • Sustainable models for digital public goods
    We support the development of viable business and operating models for digital public goods and national platforms, helping ensure long-term sustainability without compromising public value.
  • Beyond SDG 3
    While health remains central, our infrastructure work recognizes that digital health is deeply connected to broader development goals—governance, resilience, and economic sustainability among them.


Working with eSHIFT


eSHIFT Partner Network is recognized by Spheriq as a Swiss non-profit association dedicated to global public good. Our role is that of a trusted integrator—able to bridge policy, architecture, and implementation while working comfortably with governments, donors, and technical partners.


We invite governments, funders, and collaborators to engage with us not only to design strategies, but to deliver them. With the right leadership, clear blueprints, and resilient infrastructure, digital health can move from promise to impact.


Together, we can build health systems that are more connected, more equitable, and better prepared for the challenges ahead.