10 The WHO GIS (Geographic Information System) Centre for Health plays a key role in gathering, processing and displaying geographical data related to health outcomes and health care systems around the world. These data are used to inform decision-making, to assist in the planning and implementation of health initiatives, and to track the progress of health interventions. Leveraging GIS technology allows for a better understanding of how health outcomes can be affected by geographical factors and aids in identifying patterns, trends and disparities in health globally. The Centre's work is aligned with WHO's data principles (see section XXII.1.1), aiming to make geographical data related to health a public good, maintaining confidentiality where necessary, supporting capacity-building in Member States and striving to fill gaps in public health data. The Centre also plays a crucial role in data governance (see section XXII.1.2), ensuring that WHO’s geospatial data comply with the Organization's standards, including those relating to maps (see section XXII.5.3).
