HIFA publishes paper in The Lancet Global Health: Governments are legally obliged to ensure adequate access to health information

The Lancet Global Health published a paper on 2nd August 2013 that we can all use in our advocacy to increase the availability and use of healthcare information in low- and middle-income countries. The paper was written by three HIFA Country Representatives for India – Soumyadeep Bhaumik, Tamoghna Biswas, Pranab Chetterjee – together with the HIFA Coordinator, Neil Pakenham-Walsh. The full text is freely available, open-access, here.

Here is a brief extract: ‘Should governments be held responsible for ensuring that every citizen and every health professional has access to the information they need to protect their own health and the health of those they care for? Should governments be held to account for, and to stop, any action that denies the availability of health information, or that misinforms the public or health professionals contrary to scientific evidence? The answers to these questions are yes and yes, as clearly stated in international human rights law.’

My source - above text: HIFA2015