Malawi Clinics

Following on from the blog post about how mobile phone text messaging has been used to support drug de-toxification in Dundee, readers of the Malawi Clinics Blog may be interested to learn that the United Nations and Vodafone have joined together to release a report entitled Mobile Technology for Social Change : Trends in NGO Mobile Use. The Report examines eleven case stutdies in ‘mobile activism’ and includes some interesting health-related projects including:

- Mobile health data collection systems in Kenya and Zambia

Collecting and tracking essential health data on handheld devices, in countries where statistical information was previously gathered via paper and pencil, if recorded at all.

- Monitoring HIV/AIDS care in South Africa

Using mobile devices to collect health data and support HIV/AIDS patient monitoring in a country with the world’s highest HIV/AIDS infection rates, and where rural populations often otherwise go unassisted.

- Sexual health information for teenagers

Connecting young people in the US and UK to important information on sexual and reproductive health via anonymous text messaging, to empower young people to make informed sexual health decisions.

- Continuing medical education for remote healthcare workers in Uganda

Providing medical updates and access to vital information via mobile phones for doctors and nurses working in some of the most destitute regions, where continuing medical education services are lacking.