Access to Information for Health and Development: the Health Internetwork

Information is vital for health and development, but the world’s scientific knowledge remains largely out of reach for many countries. To attain global health equity, relevant information and the technologies to deliver it must be widely available and effectively used. The Health InterNetwork initiative is a unique partnership created to bridge the digital divide in health, based on the principle of equitable access to health information. Launched as part of the United Nations Millennium Action Plan with the World Health Organization as its lead agency, the Health InterNetwork aims to improve public health by facilitating the flow of health information, using the Internet. The core elements of the project are content, Internet connectivity, and capacity building.