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Meeting focus on developments and perspectives for Global Health Library
The Global Health Library (GHL) was on focus on September 3rd, during a virtual meeting to share the status of development of the initiative that represents a Network led by World Health Organization (WHO) launched during the events ICML9/CRICS7 (2005). It relies on BIREME support for its development aiming at organizing, indexing, inter-relating and making available international, national and local information sources, including those sources available in the Regional WHO offices’ libraries.
As a previous discussion that will continue and contribute for both upcoming events, VHL5 and CRICS8, 12 representatives attended this online meeting. They are from WHO Regional Offices: AFRO, EMRO and WPRO, which respectively cover the regions of Africa, Eastern Mediterranean and Western Pacific and the Director of Knowledge Management and Sharing at WHO. Together with these participants, a BIREME team was led by Abel Packer, Director, followed by Ernesto Spinak, leader of Information Sources Production (PFI), and also a group of technicians.
The meeting resulted in a general report on the first phase of GHL development that, positively, brought to discussion complexities that involve GHL goals, strategy, components, technical and other specific issues of GHL.
Packer opened the meeting stressing that the Network needs to be appropriated by the partners involved. That is important for reaching the next goals: to becoming replicated and more interoperable; having social networks features included to maximize participation since it is a collective production of a global public good and, by 2009, it is expected to have the Network implemented in the regions.
Representing AFRO, Chartian Mambou, presented important advances on training, even it is a challenge to find and keep human resources technically prepared. Regarding technical issues, there are processes going on to replicate actions of the GHL initiative, considering the large area in Africa, the Office keeps working towards the implementation by 2009.
Upon continuing the meeting, Mark Gil Bendo, from WPRO, unveiled recent progresses in the Region like training, customization of the portal and its contents. At the end of his presentation, he brought questions mostly regarding technical issues.
Hatem Nour El-Din Mohamed, assistant librarian, from EMRO, ended the series of presentations speaking about the importance of support from WHO, specially for training and promotion.
Recently named as new Director of Knowledge Management and Sharing at WHO, Najeeb Alshorbaji spoke right after. As a supporter of the GHL since its proposal in Cairo, Alshorbaji believes the moment is for commitment from the Offices to appropriate VHL, at the same time there will be other forums to clarify, discuss, and find out solutions for particular needs of the Regions as well as his own acknowledgement about the initiative. “One part contributes to the other”, concluded.
The meeting, was an opportunity to light up and open paths to foster GHL under WHO leadership. To close the section, Abel Packer stressed that BIREME is ready to support the platform development. “We need to be very open to take innovative solutions. BIREME is ready to collaborate and it is very good moment to renew and advance the project”.
Related links
GHL - Global Health Library (pdf)
GHL in WPRO: recent progress (pdf)
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