World Health Organization's Health InterNetwork: Sharing Electronic Resources

Erica Frank, MD, MPH, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA and Joan Dzenowagis, Ph.D., WHO, Geneva, Switzerland

ABSTRACT:

Information is vital for health and development, but much knowledge is currently unavailable for many countries. Because of this, the United Nations, through the World Health Organization (WHO), has launched the Health Internetwork (HIN), an initiative designed to improve global public health by improving access to high quality, timely health information for health professionals, researchers, and policy makers. As WHO's Director General stated when launching this project: "We are living in a world in which only a privileged few have access to the fruits of the information society. Our challenge is to create opportunities for more people to participate". This public-private initiative aims to meet that challenge, by providing content, Internet connectivity, and capacity building.

HIN's first major breakthrough was the Access to Research Initiative, which today provides free or low-cost electronic access to over 2,000 biomedical and social science journals to health institutions in 110 low-income countries. The second phase will provide electronic access to world-class, comprehensive, health reference materials and courseware for institutions and health professionals in training and practice in developing countries. HIN's virtual health sciences university will make available: (1) training and courses for health professional education; (2) a library with an extensive journal collection (building on the 2,000 journals already offered), textbooks, and other references; and (3) collaboration space for person-to-person interaction related to the core content areas. This presentation describes the project in more detail.

BENEFIT TO PARTICIPANTS ATTENDING SESSION:

The World Health Organization (WHO), has launched the Health Internetwork (HIN), an initiative designed to improve global public health by improving access to high quality, timely health information for health professionals, researchers, and policy makers. HIN's first major breakthrough was the Access to Research Initiative, which today provides free or low-cost electronic access to over 2,000 biomedical and social science journals to health institutions in 110 low-income countries. The second phase will provide electronic access to world-class, comprehensive, health reference materials and courseware for institutions and health professionals in training and practice in developing countries. HIN's virtual health sciences university will make available: (1) training and courses for health professional education; (2) a library with an extensive journal collection (building on the 2,000 journals already offered), textbooks, and other references; and (3) collaboration space for person-to-person interaction related to the core content areas.

Erica Frank, MD, MPH Vice Chair and Associate Professor Department of Family and Preventive Medicine Emory University School of Medicine 69 Butler St Atlanta, GA 30303-3219 Phone: 404/616-5603 Fax: 404/616-6847 Email: mailto:efrank@emory.edu

CO-AUTHORS: Joan Dzenowagis, Ph.D. Project Manager, Health InterNetwork World Health Organization 20 Avenue Appia CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland Phone: +41 (22) 791 2504 Fax: +41 (22) 791 4292 Email: mailto:dzenowagisj@who.int Website: http://www.healthinternetwork.net