Elsevier launches new India COVID-19 Healthcare Hub to help curb the spread of misinformation and support clinicians

Complimentary resources include localized online learning tools for healthcare professionals and the public in India on the prevention and management of COVID-19, along with evidence-based information on COVID-19 vaccines

NEW
DELHI, INDIA – News
Direct – 21 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); https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia2010007.