Dear Geoff,
Many thanks for alerting us to the new report from WHO and ITU
“Going digital for noncommunicable diseases: the case for action”
https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/378478
and for noting the parallels with the HIFA paper Universal access to essential health information: accelerating progress towards universal health coverage and other SDG health targets - https://gh.bmj.com/content/5/5/e002475 . It's good to hear this paper has now had over 5000 full text downloads and I encourage people to read it. It remains highly relevant.
The report notes that 'Digital interventions can close gaps in access to and the quality of NCD and mental health services and help raise awareness'.
The process used to develop the report was conventional: rapid literature review, consultations with experts and interviews with stakeholders. A more innovative approach would include deepdive thematic discussions on communities of practice such as HIFA, and HIFA now has considerable experience in this area: www.hifa.org/projects
Best wishes, Neil
HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org
