The best evidence available should be accessible to all and is key to tackling poor practice that can do more harm than good, according to the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI), based in South Australia.

The institute, which has recently been recognised for improving health for disadvantaged communities, is fulfilling a critical role, assisting health professionals from around the world to become effective leaders of change through providing access to evidence based practice.

JBI is an international not-for-profit health research institute of the University of Adelaide that collaborates with more than 70 partnering organisations across the world. The institute fosters long-term sustainable change in health practices by training healthcare professionals to deliver evidence based healthcare and providing the best available evidence to inform clinical decision making.

“For over 20 years, we have heard stories from health professionals about their work with mothers and babies. In Uganda, cow dung was being used on umbilical cords of newborns. In remote Australia, mothers were using Vegimite and water to feed their babies,” said JBI Executive Director, the University of Adelaide’s Professor Zoe Jordan.

“Stories like these are numerous, and while they reflect issues with infrastructure and funding, most were simply about lack of access to good-quality evidence and training.

“Everyone should have access to the best available knowledge to make decisions about the care they give and receive,” she said.

A reception, hosted by Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia Sir Peter Cosgrove and Lady Cosgrove, was recently held at Admiralty House, Sydney acknowledging the life changing work of the organisation.