From RAFT to gdhub
– our story
The gdhub was launched in 2021, building on 20 years of RAFT (Réseau d’Afrique Francophone pour la Télémédecine). RAFT began in 2003 in response to a call from young Malian doctors at the Geneva University Hospitals: “Help us with digital tools to stay connected with specialists, keep learning, and deliver better care.” By 2024, over 1,000 professionals across 20 African countries were part of RAFT, and 90% of public health institutions in Mali were connected to the main hospital through Teledermato Mali.
While implementing RAFT, we observed the ecosystem evolving with numerous pilot projects facing implementation and sustainability challenges. There was a vital need for more science-based practices to advance digital health.
This is WHY gdhub was created
The University of Geneva, in Partnership with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, launched the Geneva Digital Health Hub (gdhub),
to address the need for de-fragmentation, better knowledge management and more science-based decision-making in digital health.
The gdhub consolidates the knowledge gained from RAFT and federates expertise from other digital health projects to accelerate global digital health transformation.
By advancing knowledge management tools, supporting implementation projects, fostering communities, and promoting science-informed approaches, gdhub is shaping the future of digital health.
