New Delhi, Delhi, India | 21st May 2021: Elsevier, a global leader in research publishing and information analytics, has launched its India COVID-19 Healthcare Hub for frontline healthcare workers and members of the public in India. Featuring complimentary resources and online learning tools, the India COVID-19 Healthcare Hub offers the latest evidence-based information on the novel coronavirus, with materials on the prevention and management of COVID-19 to help limit the spread of misinformation.
Recent research has shown that 67.2% of misinformation in India involves health-related topics, such as falsehoods on the COVID-19 vaccine, other forms of medical treatments, medical institutions and healthcare facilities1. The same study found that online media was responsible for higher volumes of inaccurate news (94.4%) compared to mainstream media (5.6%), with false claims being distributed mainly on social media platforms. As India continues to grapple with COVID-19 cases, it is imperative to address the threat of misinformation and its impact on the public health response.
To help support an overwhelmed healthcare system and combat the spread of misinformation, Elsevier’s India COVID-19 Healthcare Hub contains the latest fact-based information on COVID-19, including approved treatments and guidelines, along with other useful tools to help doctors, nurses and healthcare workers provide patient care. This resource aims to meet the increasing need for standardized, credible and accurate information around the pandemic and allow healthcare professionals to provide consistent and safe patient care.
Kok Keng Lim, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Elsevier, said, “As a trusted partner to healthcare workers, we believe that Elsevier has a responsibility to provide high quality evidence-based information and tools on COVID-19 and the newly approved vaccines. By aligning these localized resources to global care standards, we aim to support frontline workers with credible data and patient discussion tools that can bolster their confidence to address concerns, dispel vaccine falsities and quickly make critical decisions for better patient outcomes. The India COVID-19 Healthcare Hub also provides patients with a single source of accurate data to help curb the spread of misinformation on the disease.”
In addition to the India COVID-19 Healthcare Hub, Elsevier is also supporting Swasth Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that promotes universal and affordable healthcare for the people of India. Together with the RELX Group, Elsevier’s parent company, the two organizations have contributed approximately 22 high-flow oxygen concentrators to support more than 12,000 critically ill patients in India.
Shankar Kaul, Managing Director, India, Elsevier, said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has been a global health crisis for over a year and our teams across the United Kingdom and Latin America have conducted extensive research around thee variants of coronavirus. These global insights are now available through the India COVID-19 Healthcare Hub, providing the public and healthcare professionals with access to the latest resources to manage the new strain of the virus.”
“The India COVID-19 Healthcare Hub provides support to healthcare institutions, hospitals and healthcare professionals through evidence-based resources that can educate patients while protecting others in their communities. We urge all frontline workers and members of the public to utilize these resources to remain well informed about the prevention and management of COVID-19.”
Notes for editor
1 Sourced from: Al-Zaman, M.S. 2021. “COVID-19-Related Social Media Fake News in India”, Journalism and Media, vol 2 (1); doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia2010007.
