Supporting African countries in establishing their national health informatics societies so that they could become members of IMIA
About Us
Who We Are
The Health Informatics in Africa, (HELINA), is the Pan African Health Informatics Association and the African regional body of the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA).
HELINA was founded in 1993, in Ile-Ife, Nigeria following a conference organised by Obafemi Awolowo University and University of Eastern Finland under the auspices of IMIA.
The primary purpose of HELINA is to promote education and research in health informatics in Africa and the implementation of ethical, modern and evidence based health informatics to enhance access to quality healthcare in Africa. HELINA subscribes fully to the IMIA vision that “there will be a world-wide systems approach for healthcare.
Through this, clinicians, researchers, patients and people in general will be supported by informatics tools, processes and behaviors that make it easy to do the right thing, in the right way, at the right time to improve healthcare for all. This systems approach will incorporate and integrate research, clinical care and public health.”
HELINA was originally registered under Malian Law but is currently registered under Ghanaian Law.
Core Values
Transforming healthcare in Africa through health informatics research, development, implementation and education.
To guide and support national member associations so that they can become the collective voice of health informatics in Africa, providing a meaningful forum for health informatics research, development, implementation, education, standards development and technology adoption for the region.
Our Objectives
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Participating in IMIA’s vision for global cooperation and transforming healthcare through the advancement of informatics.
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Developing education and research programs adapted to the African context
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Fostering alliance with government and the private sector
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Developing a strategic plan for the sustainable development of health and biomedical informatics and e-health in Africa
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Promoting ethical and evidence-based implementation of health information systems.
Our Priority Areas
Relationship with global organisations and formation of partnerships to address key challenges.
Development, localization and adoption of health informatics standards relevant to member countries.
Health informatics education and capacity building.
Research, collaboration and knowledge dissemination and sharing.
HELINA membership, leadership structure, governance and funding.
Promotion and marketing of HELINA and national member societies.
HELINA Board
Our Partners
