LIGHT is a global review of national and international programmes and major activities for Health Information Infrastructure and eHealth, launched at the International Hospital Federation regional conference in Dubai and in the concurrent 75th Anniversary issue of World Hospitals and Health Services Journal. The LIGHT Initiative stemmed from a comprehensive review of eHealth National Policies at the Internationaal eHealth Association's annual conference, eHealth 2003, in London. LIGHT focuses on educational workshops and summits on Health IT Infrastructure, including a series of high level policy consultations on National and Global strategies for Health Information and Education Inffrastructure. Participants have included Ministers of Health, Policy and Thought Leaders in Health Information Infrastructure, and representatives of WHO and other international organisations.

AHEAD is developing a strategy for a National Health IT infrastructure in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and eLanka projects, WHO, Sri Lanka WHO Country Office, WHO Essential health Technologies, World Bank, Global Development Learning Network, WorldSpace, Second Opinion Software, the Sri Lanka Medical Association, SEARO and others. Initial work has focused on the development of real time and asynchronous eLearning platforms using Open Source systems and on building the IT infrastructure in 19 hospitals. This forms part for the larger Tsunami related regional initiative.

This project has focused on the installation of diagnostic tools in Kenya using eHealth technologies, in collaboration with the NHS Connecting for Health, CISCO Philanthropy, WHO, Second Opinion Software and others. The programme was active in 2004-2006 and we are optimistic can progress further when the current unrest in Kenya is settled.

This project has worked towards the establishment of the specifications of existing infrastructure for ICTs in the health sector in Papua New Guinea, and recommendations for development of a National Health IT Infrastructure in the country. This has been in collaboration with AusAid and the PNG Capacity Building Service Centre. AHEAD has also participated in consultancy concerning eLearning and health and disability workforce training in Papua new Guinea.

AHEAD has been involved with an assessment of the capacities of the Pacific Open Learning Health Network for WHO. It has also assisted with the organisation of a stakeholder forum, the results of which were presented at the Pacific Heath Ministers meeting in 2005 for implementation in 2006.

Little is known about mental health in Ethiopia, especially in regards to traditional medicine which accounts for over 85% of mental health services.  The study has been directed at investigating what traditional medicine involves in regards to mental health, and if this system could be incorporated into nationalized health care. The study will take place over a three year period and will involve investigating explanatory models of mental illness, health seeking behavior, and traditional medicine.  It is the researchers desire that this study sheds some light on an otherwise overlooked issue in Ethiopia and in developing countries in general, and that the Ethiopian Ministry of Health can use this research to improve mental heath service delivery. Thus the intended outcome is not just the completion of a PHD, but an impetus for change in mental health in Ethiopia.

With global teleconference links including Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Japan, United Kingdom, New Zealand, South Africa, and the USA, candidates for the top post in world health - the Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) participated in a two hour world-wide question and answer session open to the public and linked across the world via video and teleconferencing. These two events were unique opportunities to ask candidates to address publicly the most critical issues in global health. IHN and AHEAD organized these historic event which remain the only debates for candidates of any leadership position in the United Nations.