Global Index Medicus
Global Index Medicus has been compiled to complement the internationally known bibliographical indexes such as MEDLINE from the US National Library of Medicine. Although most of the significant medical periodicals published in developed countries are indexed in the MEDLINE database and similar tools, there is still a considerable amount of important and valuable medical and health documentation from countries outside the major industrialized areas which is not included. This material therefore receives less global visibility in spite of its often higher relevance for other developing countries.
The traditional one way flow of health information from North to South is thus becoming increasingly challenged as more health information providers and users are aware of the importance of a broader South-North and South-South sharing of information.
Global Index Medicus published under the auspices of WHO Regional Offices, gives access to bibliographical information and in some cases full text to health material published locally.
Global Index Medicus thus adds a further dimension to the retrieval of information from developed country-oriented databases.