COVID-19 has underlined the urgent need to accelerate progress towards universal access to reliable healthcare information. Never before has everyone been so aware of the need for reliable healthcare information, and yet so vulnerable to misinformation.

The new HIFA Strategy 2022-2024 builds on 15 years of solid growth and achievements, including most recently a Statement from the World Medical Association in support of universal access to reliable healthcare information, representing more than 10 million doctors around the world. 

The Strategy outlines seven strategic shifts that are necessary to accelerate progress: convene stakeholders; strengthen collaboration with the World Health Organization; promote multilingualism; identify and address priority issues; harness collective intelligence; strengthen advocacy; and protect from misinformation. 

As WHO has noted: “Healthcare Information For All is an ambitious goal but it can be achieved if all stakeholders work together.” What is clearly needed now is for all stakeholders to develop and implement a global action plan to improve access to reliable healthcare information and protect people from misinformation. HIFA is ready to promote and drive this process……more