News

Quote of the month: “WHO's new public information video to combat the infodemic concludes with the message: 'Spend less time online'. This is a resounding recognition of the fact that simply getting people online will NOT solve the world's information problems. Far from it: connectivity gives fuel to misinformation.” Neil Pakenham-Walsh, HIFA Coordinator

Quote of the month: “I honestly don’t think that we are past the peak of fake information. As long as the population is not well informed they will continue to believe fake information.” Kenny Garmendia, HIFA member, Medical doctor at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras

The HIFA Steering Group is delighted to announce the publication in BMJ Global Health of our new paper (open access):  

Universal access to essential health information: accelerating progress towards universal health coverage and other SDG health targets

authored by three HIFA steering group members (Geof Royston, Chris Zielinski and Neil Pakenham-Walsh). 

The paper highlights the following points:

Quote of the month: “The cancer of misinformation continues to spread and metastasize... It is a pervasive and growing threat to global health, driven by increased connectivity and social media. It is not just coronavirus, it is a problem across all areas of health” (HIFA coordinator Neil Pakenham-Walsh, UK)

“Antibiotics are effective in treating the new coronavirus”. “Herbal remedies and other drugs can help treat the new virus”. “New coronavirus only affects older people”.