Managing Infodemics in Africa: The Role of the Africa Infodemic Response Alliance (AIRA) in Advancing Theory and Practice During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The context of COVID-19 in the African continent presents a unique blend of challenges and resilience. Compared to other regions, Africa reported lower case numbers and mortality rates, but it still faced significant health system, economic, and social disruptions. By June 2023, the 47 countries of the WHO African Region had recorded 9.5 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and over 175,000 deaths, though under-reporting due to limited testing was likely. The COVID-19 pandemic in Africa was accompanied by an infodemic - an overabundance of information, including false or misleading content, which made it difficult for people to find trustworthy sources and reliable guidance. The infodemic had profound implications for public health communication, vaccine uptake, and pandemic management. To counter misinformation and coordinate fact-checking and risk communication at regional level, WHO-AFRO and partners launched the Africa Infodemic Response Alliance (AIRA) in December 2020. This article offers a comprehensive review of AIRA's initiatives to create a robust infodemic management system in Africa. Supported by case studies and assessment data, it sheds light on the role of information in saving lives. Through lessons learned this analysis focuses on how infodemic management fostered coordination among partners and bolstered national authorities' capabilities to manage information and save lives. Conclusions suggest that enhancing capacity among public health stakeholders in infodemic management can empower the public to make healthy choices irrespective of misinformation.