WHO's Community-Centered Epidemic and Pandemic Information Platform: Hive

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Information Science
• Digital Health

Background:

• Epidemics and pandemics are invariably accompanied by infodemics, characterized by the overwhelming spread of information, including misinformation.
• The COVID-19 pandemic experienced an unprecedented infodemic, which impeded access to accurate health information, undermined public health responses, and eroded trust in science and institutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the Hive, a community-centered information platform developed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
• To address the challenges posed by infodemics by ensuring universal access to timely and accurate health information.
• To foster a collaborative environment for knowledge sharing and crowdsourcing solutions during health emergencies.

Main Methods:

• The Hive platform is designed as a minimum viable product (MVP) leveraging community engagement and a complex information ecosystem.
• It incorporates features for accessing credible information, fostering knowledge sharing, and enabling discussion and collaboration.
• Includes tools such as instant chats, event management, and data analytics for generating insights.

Main Results:

• The platform aims to provide a safe space for users to share knowledge, discuss health concerns, and collaborate on solutions.
• It facilitates crowdsourcing of solutions to health-related problems encountered during epidemics and pandemics.
• The data analytics tools are intended to provide insights into the information ecosystem and user needs.

Conclusions:

• The Hive platform represents an innovative approach to combating infodemics by empowering communities.
• It seeks to ensure that individuals have access to the right information, in the right format, at the right time.
• By leveraging community-centered strategies, the platform aims to improve health decision-making and protect public health during crises.