The World Health Organization (WHO) inaugurates its Academy this Tuesday, December 17 in Lyon. Caregivers around the world will be able to train in the latest advances in medicine and prepare for the next health emergencies. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of this UN agency, and President Emmanuel Macron are announced.
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This new 11,000 m² campus is located in the “biodistrict” of the Gerland district in Lyon. It is surrounded by pharmaceutical groups and cutting-edge scientific establishments such as the P4 laboratory or the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The Academy is financed by France.
The objective is to train 16,000 people per year, using advanced technologies such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence. The basement of its building with its futuristic lines makes it possible to conduct large-scale simulation exercises.
A digital platform will make it possible to reach a wider audience: WHO is targeting three million learners by 2028, thanks to online courses in the organization's six official languages: English, Arabic, French, Chinese, Spanish and Russian.
Epidemiological surveillance, management of health emergencies, treatment of large numbers of victims…: the training, lasting around twenty hours on average, is primarily aimed at health professionals (doctors, nurses, pharmacists. ..) but also to WHO agents, researchers and decision-makers in the sector.
The idea for this Academy, which dates back to 2019, is based on the observation that the world will probably not achieve the sustainable development goals in health set for 2030.
Another observation: “implementing new health guidelines often takes a decade, while the medical knowledge base doubles every three months,” notes the organization in a press kit.
From there was born the idea of strengthening the continuing training of caregivers, in order to harmonize their knowledge of scientific advances and help them integrate them into their practices.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has reaffirmed this need,” underlines Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, cited in this document. And the current epidemics of mpox, Marburg or H5N1 remind us of the urgency of preparing for the next health disaster.
In this context, initial training and “courses in classrooms can no longer respond alone to the challenges of the future”, notes the head of the WHO.
The Lyon Academy must also “participate in the retention of health personnel”, added its executive director, David Atchoarena, during a press presentation.
Despite significant efforts and the existence of 65 million healthcare professionals worldwide, there is still a “deficit” planetary caregivers which should be around ten million in 2030, according to the WHO.
In addition to his thirty“supervisors” and their students, the WHO Academy will also host researchers and conferences to encourage exchanges.
Located in the technology research center of Lyon, where the organization already had an office, the campus is surrounded by pharmaceutical groups such as Sanofi Pasteur and cutting-edge scientific establishments such as the P4 laboratory or the International Cancer Research Center (IARC).
“Lyon is not by chance. It is truly a historic investment due to the local players, who are diverse and very involved,” underlines Anne-Claire Amprou, ambassador for France in Global Health.
The inauguration of the campus is also accompanied by around fifty events aimed at introducing the public to Lyon and French expertise in the field. France, whose president campaigned hard for this Academy to be established in Lyon, financed it to the tune of 120 million euros. For its medium-term operations, the WHO intends to mobilize other Member States, the private sector and foundations.
