Health
THE Managing Director of Nigeria Health Watch, Mrs Vivianne Ihekweazu, says the digital transformation of health communication is reshaping how people access and trust medical information.
Ihekweazu said that the situation is creating both opportunities and risks for public health.
She made the remarks during a panel discussion at the World Health Summit (WHS) Regional Meeting 2026, which opened in Nairobi, Kenya, via webinar on Monday.
The session was with the theme, “Trust in Science in the Age of Digital Health”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the panel held critical conversations on how digital health, artificial intelligence, and technological innovation are reshaping global health systems.
Convened by the Nature Medicine Commission on Quality Health Information for All in partnership with Aga Khan University, the session brought together global leaders from science, policy, media, and healthcare.
She said that health information had moved from a traditional system where legacy media, academic journals, researchers, and health institutions acted as gatekeepers.
According to her, it has moved to a digital ecosystem where social media platforms now dominate information flow.
“This shift has significantly expanded access to health information, especially for rural and underserved populations, but has also increased the spread of unverified and misleading content.
“Social media has democratised access to health information, but it has also removed many of the filters that ensured accuracy and context.
“Information now spreads much faster, is more visual, and is often consumed in short, fragmented formats like infographics and short videos,” she said.
She said that the speed and simplicity of digital content often stripped away important medical context, making it easier for misinformation to circulate and influence public behaviour before corrections are made.
She cited vaccine hesitancy as an example of how online narratives can shape health decisions, sometimes outweighing professional medical advice.
“In some instances, people are making health choices based on online content rather than guidance from trained health professionals,” she said.
Ihekweazu said that the current information environment was defined by a growing trade-off between access and trust.
“While access to health information has increased, we are also seeing reduced context, rising misinformation, and fragmented trust in health systems and expertise,” she said.
She further said that modern audiences were less interested in technical explanations and more focused on clear, simple communication.
“What people want to know is straightforward: what is happening, why it matters, and how they can access help,” she said.
Also speaking, Prof. Rebecca Ivic, Professor of Health Communication, said the Commission is developing a candidate set of Health Information Quality Indicators.
Ivic is also an Associate Dean of Research in the College of Communication and Information Sciences
She said that the indicators were aimed at creating a global, evidence-based framework to assess the quality and reliability of health information.
She said that the initiative sought to standardise how health information quality is measured globally, particularly in an era of rapid digital content production.
Ivic also highlighted ongoing computational research using social and policy data, including Reddit discussions, vaccine-related discourse on X, and global datasets from institutions such as the World Bank Group and Afrobarometer.
She said that the idea was to better understand patterns of health information quality and public perception.
Dr Özge Tunçalp, a physician and epidemiologist, said that digital technologies and artificial intelligence were now deeply embedded in everyday life, shaping how health information is created, shared, and interpreted.
She said that the challenge was beyond misinformation and disinformation, pointing instead to a broader systems-level risk if not addressed.
Dr Nancy Booker, Professor of Media and Communications at the Aga Khan University Graduate School of Media and Communications, highlighted a recent initiative.
The initiative is a podcast titled, “Six Minutes of Health” developed with a hospital partner to deliver concise, evidence-based health information for busy audiences.
Booker said the initiative aimed to amplify credible voices in an increasingly complex digital environment by making expert knowledge more accessible, engaging, and easy to consume.
She emphasised the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration, diverse research approaches, and the central role of context in shaping health communication outcomes.
According to her, what works in one setting may not necessarily be effective in another, particularly in communities where culture and religion strongly influence health behaviours.
She also underscored the need to better understand both traditional and digital communication platforms, including their strengths and limitations, to design more effective and trusted health messaging.
Experts at the summit said that strengthening public trust in science would require coordinated global efforts to improve the quality of digital health communication, while ensuring information remains accessible and contextually accurate.
Dr Jacqueline Kitulu, President of the World Medical Association, said technology must support, and not replace, clinical judgment.
She said that clinicians must actively engage with and critically assess emerging tools to ensure they are safe, ethical, and free from bias.
NAN reports that the meeting, hosted by Aga Khan University, has convened in East Africa for the second time, highlighting the region’s growing influence in global health discussions.
The summit was with the theme, “Reimagining Africa’s Health Systems: Innovation, Integration, and Interdependence ”.
It involved plenaries, ministerial roundtables, technical sessions, youth forums, and community dialogues aimed at strengthening cross-sector collaboration.
Organisers said the meeting came at a critical moment as African health systems continue to face emerging threats alongside long-standing structural challenges.
It held with support from key institutions, including the Africa CDC and the WHO African Region.
The gathering is expected to amplify Africa’s voice in global health governance, while showcasing Kenya’s leadership in health system reform and universal health coverage.
It is also expected to produce actionable frameworks to strengthen health systems, improve domestic financing, and promote African-led innovations in healthcare delivery.
Observers said that the outcomes could influence ongoing health reforms across countries such as Nigeria, particularly in primary healthcare strengthening, health financing, and disease preparedness.(NAN)
A.I
April 28, 2026
Tags: Dr Jacqueline Kitulu Dr Nancy Booker Dr Özge Tunçalp Mrs Vivianne Ihekweazu Nigeria Health Watch Prof. Rebecca Ivic