OpenWHO is WHO new interactive, web-based platform that offers online courses to people preparing to work in epidemics, pandemics and health emergencies or already doing so.
The OpenWHO platform delivers WHO’s and partners’ expertise closer to where it is needed and provides information in user-friendly formats for frontline responders and decision-makers. The platform is managed by the Learning and Capacity Development unit in the WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme.
Users take part in a worldwide, social learning network that is based on interactive, online courses and materials covering a variety of subjects. OpenWHO also serves as a forum for the fast sharing of public health expertise and in-depth discussion and feedback on key issues.
OpenWHO is WHO’s first interactive online knowledge-transfer platform introducing open online courses into health emergency response.
Since its launch in 2017, OpenWHO has helped to enable the Organization and its key partners to transfer life-saving knowledge to large numbers of frontline responders around the world.
OpenWHO courses are offered for free to anyone who registers with their email address. The courses are free and open to anyone wishing to register.
OpenWHO offers three levels of courses: basic, intermediate and advanced, under four channels:
- Outbreak: introduces knowledge and tools on specific diseases.
- Go social!: focuses on cross-cutting interventions such as risk communication.
- Ready for response: talks about humanitarian response and how best to engage in emergency situations.
- Preparing for pandemics: brings together courses on various aspects of influenza events.
During emergencies, OpenWHO also produces special knowledge resources packages adapted from existing content.
How can one access OpenWHO?
The OpenWHO platform can be accessed in the following ways:
- Via the URL: openwho.org
- Download the OpenWHO App in Google Play: Click Here
OpenWHO hosts courses in multiple languages, including many of the UN official languages and the local languages of communities affected by particular outbreaks. To know more and apply for the course apply here.
To determine the language of a particular course, navigate to the ‘Course details’ page. On the bottom right hand side of the course header image, the course language is displayed following the title “Language”.
