Merilin Varsamaa, Tehnopol’s HealthTech Lead, has been selected as the sole Estonian expert to join the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Public Health Innovation Advisory Group. This group includes 15 leading experts from across the globe.
The WHO European Region faces significant health challenges, including the global spread of infectious diseases (such as COVID-19 and influenza), chronic conditions (like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity), mental health issues (such as depression and anxiety), and a range of multimorbid conditions. These challenges are worsened by an aging population, unequal access to healthcare, and social inequalities. However, the region, especially Estonia, a leader in technological innovation, has significant untapped potential. Harnessing this potential and combining it with scientific breakthroughs could help solve many urgent health problems. The core focus of public health development is to promote health, prevent diseases, and enhance health education. These initiatives are driven through collaborative efforts at the national level and implemented across borders in partnership with EU member states.
The Public Health Innovation Advisory Group provides WHO with expert opinions and recommendations on guiding innovation in the public health sector. Their expertise is crucial in addressing critical health issues in Europe, improving services, shaping policies, and enhancing public health capacity. Estonia’s participation also increases the chances that local solutions will help address global health problems.
According to Merilin Varsamaa, the advisory group plays a key role in fostering cross-border collaboration and supporting the development of transformative technologies. “Advancing public health is a top priority, as health innovation directly impacts people’s well-being, extends healthy life expectancy, drives economic growth, and contributes to creating a sustainable living environment. I see tremendous potential in the application of technology, which is why I’m committed to representing Estonia’s ecosystem and its partners in this advisory group. This aligns perfectly with WHO’s ‘Health in All Policies’ strategy, which ensures that health considerations are embedded in policymaking across all sectors,” she explained.
By leveraging the diverse landscape of public health innovation—including social, scientific, technological advancements, and policy reforms—the advisory group aims to create a holistic and sustainable innovation ecosystem that meets the evolving public health needs of the WHO European Region’s population.
In addition to Estonia, experts from Germany, Ireland, Uzbekistan, the United States, Israel, Belgium, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Slovakia, France, Azerbaijan, and Sweden have been selected for the group. The first meeting will take place on November 28, and the members will serve in their roles for at least the next two years.
Merilin Varsamaa is a mentor for the Ready2Scale program.