Mobile Phones Could Become Key Weapon in War on HIV/AIDS and Avian Flu
17 October 2006
GSMA and Voxiva develop handset software to fight spread of pandemics
17th October 2006 - Singapore: The GSM Association's Development Fund and Voxiva, Inc. have joined forces to develop a mobile phone application that will make it much easier for health authorities and governments to track and manage the spread of HIV/AIDS, Avian Flu and other diseases.
VoxivaHealth workers in the field can use the mobile phone software to submit critical data to central health authorities in real-time. Using their handsets, they can report on outbreaks of disease, drug inventory levels, patient treatment status and other key health information directly in to Voxiva's Health Management Information Systems (HMIS), allowing health officials to 
view, analyse and respond to vital data immediately. The system also supports two-way communications, allowing health workers in the field to receive quicker feedback on laboratory results, treatment guidelines or possible quarantine requirements.
The GSMA, the global trade association for mobile operators, and Voxiva are running pilot projects in Rwanda, which has a high incidence of HIV/AIDS, and in Indonesia where Avian Flu is a major threat.
"The efforts of the international health community to control pandemics, by getting life-saving drugs to those in need, depend heavily on a comprehensive and accurate picture of what is happening on the ground," said Rob Conway, CEO and member of the board of the GSMA. "When a disease is spreading rapidly, health authorities need information that is bang-up-to-date. Mobile networks, which are now widespread in the developing world, are the best and most immediate way to get them that vital data."
Supported by MTN, Rwanda's largest mobile operator, Voxiva and the GSMA's Development Fund have completed testing of the software in the Eastern Province of Rwanda. The tests, conducted in collaboration with the Rwanda National Institute of Statistics (NISR), used the software to capture information on health infrastructure normally collected on paper forms. "This technology is revolutionising how data is captured in the field," said Dr. Louis Munyakazi, Director General of NISR.
Following on from the success of this pilot, the GSMA and Voxiva are planning to work with MTN and other operators to roll-out the mobile phone solution across Rwanda and other African countries in need, such as Nigeria, Tanzania and South Africa.
Written in the Java programming language, so it can run on a wide range of mobile phones and devices, the software will enable health workers to input information about patients, their symptoms and medication into their phone, which then transfers the data via a packet based mobile connection (GPRS) into a central database. If GPRS isn't available, the software can use a SMS data channel to transmit the information. The health workers will also be able to use the software to order medicine, send alerts, download treatment guidelines, training materials and other appropriate information.
"In the developing world, cell-phones are more prevalent than fixed line phones with over a million new subscribers being registered every day," said Paul Meyer, Chairman and President of Voxiva, Inc. "Leveraging this existing and growing infrastructure, this new technology turns a cell phone in to a mini-computer, which in combination with Voxiva's HMIS solutions, allows governments in the developing world to tackle problems in a more efficient and cost-effective way."
A pilot project in Indonesia, which will use the handset software to help track the spread of Avian Flu, is scheduled to begin in November this year. Supported by the GSMA, Voxiva is working with USAID, Winrock International, Microsoft and the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture, to integrate the handset software into an existing Voxiva surveillance system.
Notes to Editors:
Voxiva's HMIS is a suite of health solutions that allow health agencies and providers to collect, analyse and respond to critical information. The suite includes Voxiva Healthwatch - a disease surveillance solution, Voxiva HealthNet - a health program management solution for diseases such as HIV/AIDS, and Voxiva CareNet - a patient monitoring solution for managing patients with chronic conditions.
For every handset sold under the GSMA's Emerging Market Handset programme, handset supplier Motorola and the mobile phone operators participating in the programme together contribute 50 cents to the GSMA's Development Fund.
The GSMA's Development Fund was set up in October 2005 to catalyse the role of mobile technology in social, economic and environmental development. Working with the mobile industry, the development community and governments, the Fund seeks to identify innovative ideas for development that are scalable and sustainable on a global level. By focusing on practical implementation, the Development Fund and its partners create unique knowledge and experience of the role and potential of mobile technology in development.
For more information please visit:
About the GSM Association:
The GSM Association (GSMA) is the global trade association representing 700 GSM mobile phone operators across 215 countries of the world. In addition, more than 180 manufacturers and suppliers support the Association's initiatives as key partners.
The primary goals of the GSMA are to ensure mobile phones and wireless services work globally and are easily accessible, enhancing their value to individual customers and national economies, while creating new business opportunities for operators and their suppliers. The Association's members serve more than two billion customers - 82% of the world's mobile phone users.
For further information contact:
Mark Smith/David Pringle
GSM Association
/ +44 795 755 6069
Email:press@gsm.org
About the Voxiva:
Voxiva is a leading global provider of practical information solutions to strengthen health care systems, support emergency response, and improve government service delivery in the emerging markets. Voxiva solutions leverage the world's 2+ billion mobile phones, as well as fixed-line phones, PCs, PDAs and other technologies to cast a much broader reach than Internet-only solutions.
For more information:
Please visit www.voxiva.com or contact Grant Elliott
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