mHealth in West Africa
In 2013, Scope conducted a research project for CORE Advise, mapping the mHealth application ecosystem in French-speaking West Africa, with a focus on maternal and newborn health related interventions.
The study focused on eight mHealth themes that emerged from the research:
- Access to accurate and user-friendly information
- Learning, training and specialist support for health professionals
- Remote consultation, diagnosis and treatment
- Emergency services & responses
- Patient communication & tracking as well as access to patient records
- Real-time data collection/monitoring and ability to transmit health information
- Strengthen supply chain management & distribution of commodities
- Support health financing through micro-insurance, vouchers & health savings services
The recommendations related to three key objectives:
- How to advance system-level solutions that deliver sustained, scalable and locally appropriate interventions, linked to local health systems?
- What mechanisms could contribute to building capacity to plan, manage and evaluate ICTs lead health interventions, including supporting available country level capabilities?
- Empowering women’s participation and lowering access barriers, including removing financial barriers, focusing on low technology services, improving incentives for female mobile owners and ensuring that women participate on the service/product design processes