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HEALTH INFORMATION FORUM: Working together to improve access to reliable information for healthcare workers in developing and transitional countries

REPORT: Co-operative networking for health information in Africa - including a 5-year review of Health Information Forum

Venue: British Medical Association, Tavistock Square, London 

Date: Tuesday 15 July 2003   

Chair: Andrew Chetley, Director, Exchange

PRESENTATION 1: Co-operative networking for health information in Africa

Ibrahima Bob, President, Association for Health Information and Libraries in Africa.  <[email protected]>

PLENARY DISCUSSION

Much lively discussion was generated around key themes raised during the presentation:

AHILA

• In the most recent AHILA survey (2001), about 40% of librarians and health information professionals in Africa had email access. This figure should be 100%. AHILA might play a role to advocate for this.

• Many University libraries now have good internet access with government support for increased bandwidth; consortia of Higher Education institutions could be formed to reduce the costs of software licences and share databases and journal costs

• AHILA would be strengthened, regionally and nationally, by having more committed organisations or individuals subscribing to AHILA (US$50/year for associate membership) and joining the AHILA-net email forum (free). Membership is open to all with an interest. For further details, please contact Ibrahima Bob [email protected]

• People interested in health information are encouraged to promote AHILA when making work visits or meeting with potentially interested organisations

• AHILA members are encouraged to make specific requests for help for the formation of active  national AHILA chapters - these requests are likely to be answered by a variety of interested parties

Mechanisms of spreading information within countries:

• There is great variability between different countries and even within countries

• Distributing print material in Africa is difficult and expensive and distribution by electronic means is limited due to lack of hardware and connectivity

• Unreliable, intermittent electricity and phone supply limits the value of e-mail/internet

• Computers are often locked away in offices or not able to access e mail

• Many countries continue to rely on the postal network to get information out from central libraries; but reliability of post varies

• It was noted that the HINARI library site licence encourages libraries to act as resource centres, and that every country should have at least one centre with this liberal licence for distributing material.

An urgent priority is for more funding support for the *African Index Medicus* supported by AHILA. This is a unique resource that deserves long-term, secure and adequate support.

PRESENTATION 2. 'HEALTH INFORMATION FORUM: FIVE YEARS'

Neil Pakenham-Walsh, Senior Programme Manager, INASP-Health <[email protected]>

PLENARY DISCUSSION: HIF REVIEW AND WAY FORWARD

There was much lively debate in response to a number of questions raised in the presentation about the operation of HIF and its future:

What have HIF and 'HIF-net at WHO' achieved?

• There was consensus that HIF's greatest achievement has been to build a multidisciplinary community of people working in health information. This has greatly facilitated the exchange of information and the formation of many highly effective working partnerships. Key achievements have been in:

  • linking people from a wide range of different disciplines who have interests in the same area, but may not otherwise have come into contact

  • bridging the gap between what international organisations are doing and the reality on the ground

• Effective in advocacy by increasing awareness of need to increase access to health information. This has been achieved by providing a space for people to express their opinions - especially those of health workers in developing countries - rather than advocating any particular viewpoints. This is consistent with a non-membership, informal group that is open to all.

• Other countries have started to develop 'HIF-like' activities, indicating new opportunities for linkages and networking

Should HIF objectives change for the future?

• There has been a general shift away from the initial emphasis to promote the delivery of health information to developing countries to the local creation and sharing of health information among many partners

• Essential that the provision of a space for making contacts and exchanging experience continues - the need is ever greater as the number and range of activities continue to increase worldwide

• Could HIF extend its objective of promoting the analysis of information by giving support in the timely delivery of relevant information in the right format?

• Should HIF actively broker new partnerships - to further break down barriers between specialist groups?

Additional activities that HIF may undertake:

• Could HIF help NGOs and other organisations in evaluation of effectiveness (including self-evaluation)?

• Could HIF encourage/facilitate the publication of health information from developing countries?

• Much has changed in the last few years. There was much support for the proposal that HIF should convene an international meeting to summarise progress made and future priorities.

Future organisation of HIF meetings:

• Prompted by AHILA, could organisations other than INASP organise meetings? Could meetings be held outside London and, indeed, outside the UK?

• Should videoconferencing be used to link HIF with other related groups?

The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to Neil Pakenham-Walsh and INASP for their great efforts and success in supporting HIF and moderating HIF-net at WHO. In turn, Neil thanked the many individuals who had made HIF possible, notably the volunteers, past and present, of the HIF organizing group; Richard Smith (editor, BMJ); Andrew Chetley (director, Exchange); and Carol Priestley (director, INASP).