18 Oct 2023

Health solutions harvested from the internet may not always be trusted, and you would do well to be wary of them, heath minister Dr Edwin Dikoloti has warned. 

Dr Dikoloti who was speaking at the 17^th Association for Health Information and Libraries in Africa (AHILA) conference, held at the University of Botswana, Tuesday, said such solutions could serious personal and public health issues, particularly that their sources could not always be professionally verified. 

That, he said, undermined the indispensable roles of information professionals and educators. In fact, he said, studies had uncovered clinical errors in online health information, which posed significant public health hazards. Thus, “the issues of digital literacy and the ability to discern credible sources are of paramount importance,” he said. It was for that reason that Botswana’s e-health strategy acknowledged the potential of emerging technologies for accessing health information through mobile devices, while recognising that access alone did not confer empowerment.

That access did not equate empowerment was particularly apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic, where the internet was fraught with the dangers of uncoordinated information sharing and dissemination, he said. 

“The uncertainty surrounding the pandemic gave rise to a proliferation of misinformation concerning transmission, treatment and other critical aspects of the disease” he said, and underscored the centrality of Libraries and librarians and other educators in credible information sharing and dissemination. 

This, he said was because as professionals in the information space, they had been trained and were skilled in storing and packaging trustworthy information that could be used to bring healing to the people. 

Minister Dikoloti said Botswana boasted a robust public library system with Internet access, but the extent to which the resources were utilised for accessing health information as well as active engagement of librarians in assisting the public to search health-related issues was yet to be documented. 

For her part, World Health Organisation (WHO) representative, Dr Josephine Namboze highlighted the importance of getting the right health information. Dr Nambooze said information constituted an important space in the WHO structure and the organisation was committed to ensuring that the best level of health through accurate sharing of health information was attained. “To carry out such functions, WHO has various publications and library units across its organs to better manage information and contribute to improved access to health information in an equitable manner,” she added. 

AHILA president, Dr Grace Ajuwon said the organisation existed, to, among others, foster continuous professional development for members and international community at large. 

About the AHILA conference, Dr Ajuwon said it provided an opportunity for learning, knowledge and skills sharing as well as networking. 

She added the conference was a flagship event that brought together professional, scholars and experts who were dedicated to advancing health information on the African continent. 

The biannual conference was held under the theme, Equitable Access to Health Information, The Key to Better Health. ENDS