Middle East and North African Health Informatics Association (MENAHIA): A New Opportunity for the Region

Abstract

During the 2018 IMIA General Assembly (GA) held on Oct 2018 in Sri Lanka, a new organization, the Middle East and North African Health Informatics Association (MENAHIA) was established as a regional non-governmental organization to promote Health Informatics in the region. Health Informatics activities in applications, education, and research have been growing in the Middle East and North African region for many years. Over the past year, health informatics initiatives within the region focused on the education sector and the workforce. The need to enhance the education delivery and methods is essential in promoting Health Informatics in the region as well as establishing master programs in many countries within the region.This paper provides an overview of the variety of initiatives that are occurring in the region and are endorsed by MENAHIA.

Health information science and technology education: An analysis of health informatics undergraduate and postgraduate programs in arab countries

“…Secondly, providing students with study plans that accommodate different modes of learning (on campus, online, blended) can pose a likely challenge since these plans currently only consider one mode of study which is offered on campus. And finally, since the current HI programs are not internationally accredited, obtaining accreditation from recognized international or regional bodies such as the Middle East and North African Health Informatics Association (MENAHIA) [ 32 , 33 ] for existing or newly developed programs is a further challenge that should be taken into account by universities and colleges that currently offer or plan to offer HI programs. Accreditation is an important issue to ensure the quality of HI programs by having them assessed by international organizations.…”

Middle East and North African Health Informatics Association (MENAHIA)

“…Since its inception in 2018 [1], the society members and health informatics professionals of the Middle East and North African Health Informatics Association (MENAHIA) have made several contributions to the field of health informatics in the region. These efforts targeted building capacity and workforce development, working with local governments on building national health informatics strategies, promoting health informatics research and education, as well as cultivating grassroots efforts in establishing health informatics associations in the region.…”