“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with me.”
This African proverb was no more relevant as it navigates the complex world of health misinformation and disinformation. Collaboration is emerging not only as a strategy, but as a need, as the global community continues to tackle Infodemics, where false and misleading health information spreads faster than facts.
For too long, it has been silent and fragmented in the information sector, organizations and countries. Health communicators work in isolation from technicians, but community actors are often excluded from policy conversations. This disjointed approach has weakened response mechanisms and allowed misinformation to flourish. A 2022 review of the Covid-19 pandemic communication strategy highlights that fragmented efforts often lead to duplication, waste of resources and inconsistent messaging, which erodes public trust.
Similarly, the Lancet Committee on Covid-19 Response noted that the lack of a coordinated risk communication strategy contributed to avoidable mortality and prolonged the impact of the pandemic. These gaps indicate that inunity is taking lives, and collaboration is the only way forward.
To close this gap, Nigeria Health Watch has partnered with the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Ghana Health Services and the World Health Organization (WHO) to host the Infodemic Management Collaborative Learning Workshop in Accra, Ghana on April 24, 2025, to enhance knowledge exchange to manage health information to praise local cooperation and knowledge exchange.
The workshop brings together a variety of voices. Health communicators, data analysts, policy makers, and researchers have proven that no one holds all the answers. But together, they can ask better questions and co-create powerful solutions.
This workshop adapted the AJ & Smart 4C framework, which shortens to collect, select, create, commit and commit a structured approach to designing effective workshops regardless of topic or duration.
Infodemic Management Collaborative Learning Model: Template
The workshop activities consisted of two phases. The first phase centered on the board station activities that adopted a 4C framework for collaborative learning, where questions were asked based on the four pillars of Infodemic Management. Identification, simplification, amplification, and quantification.
This allows for a structured and interactive investigation of various challenges related to Infodemics management. Participants were able to draw from their own experiences and learning to recommend interventions rooted in real-world scenarios, fact-checking mechanisms for rural communities, digital literacy campaigns for young people, and engagement strategies that blend modern media with traditional community structures.
The second stage was a group exercise aimed at strengthening health information disorders and the pillars of Infodemic Management (HIDIM) collaborative learning networks. Participants were grouped based on network pillars and engaged in questions to strengthen network pillars, thereby promoting collective ownership and representation of the network.
Based on the principles of adult learning and peer-driven innovation, these learning models provide a replicable framework for other countries looking to strengthen the Infodemic Management Ecosystem.
Looking at future engagement based on the momentum of the workshop, two principles are solid. The need for collaboration and platform collaboration is extremely important and most important. These are not just concepts, but strategies essential for resilience, sustainability and meaningful impact.
The launch of the HIDIM Cooperative Learning Network by Nigeria Healthwatch is aimed at building an expanded and diverse collaborative network of health information disability managers, equipped with skills, tools, networks and platforms, and actively changing and driving change within their respective spaces.
Tackling the complex challenges of health misinformation requires coordinated, multi-sector responses. Whether you’re at the forefront of healthcare, shaping public discourse, developing digital solutions, or contributing to influential policies, your role is essential. The success of this effort depends on the collective commitment of all stakeholders.
Why collaboration is more important than ever
“We can’t control what we don’t understand, and we can’t understand without listening to each other,” a recurring message from the workshop as participants mapped the roots and ripple effects of community misinformation, from vaccine hesitancy to climate-related health myths.
Collaboration plays a pivotal role in strengthening public health responses, especially in an increasingly interconnected world. Working together allows stakeholders to share local insights that bring depth and credibility to their global narrative. These insights ensure that healthy interventions and messages are based on the living reality of the communities they seek to serve, making them more relevant and impactful.
Additionally, collaboration helps build community trust. When stakeholders of traditional and digital platforms coordinate their efforts, they promote a unified approach that resonates more strongly with the public. This unification not only increases the reliability of the message, but also strengthens public trust in the system and individuals who provide health information.
Resource pooling is another powerful advantage of collaboration. By combining expertise, networking, and fundraising, partners can amplify the voices of trustworthy sources and oppose the spread of misinformation and disinformation. In landscapes where false narratives can easily gain traction, a collective approach will allow accurate, evidence-based information to reach a wider, more diverse audience.
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Perhaps most importantly, collaboration strengthens the resilience of the health system, especially those that lack resources. When partners come together, they can bridge the gaps, support each other’s efforts, and create better and more sustainable systems to meet current and future health challenges.
The insights and momentum generated from the workshops laid the foundation for a broader, more collaborative approach to managing health misinformation across Africa. We look forward to announcing the launch of the Health Information Disoder Management Network (HIDIMN), a collaborative learning network for supporters, researchers, policymakers and communicators, committed to combating health misinformation through shared knowledge and coordinated behavior.
As part of this launch, we are hosting the “Network Approach to Fighting Health Information Disorders” webinar on May 15, 2025.
Click here to sign up and become part of the growth movement to transform the way you manage Infodemics across the continent. Together, we can be more resilient to misinformation and ensure a healthier, informed community.
