Dear HIFA colleagues,
Thanks to Richard Fitton HIFA recognises patient access to personal medical records as part of the information all patients need (in addition to generic health information) to protect their health. Access to medical records is dependent on the existence of electronic medicial records. This new paper looks atthe situation in Africa. With thanks to McMaster Health Systems Evidence Service:
Harerimana A, Wicking K, Biedermann N, Yates K, Pillay JD, Mchunu G. Adoption of electronic health records by nurses in Africa: A scoping review. Digital Health. 2025;11:20552076251357401.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12437165/pdf/10.1177_2055207625...
'Conclusion: The integration of EHRs among African nurses is still in its early stages, with a significant reliance on paperbased systems. Developing tailored training programs and exploring sustainable implementation strategies are essential for success.'
HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org