Vodafone PowerTalks: The Gap For Technology In Health
In a dialogue which attracted more than 200 guests drawn from government, the private sector, research organizations, academia, health and ICT sector, Vodafone Uganda CEO, Allan Richardson underscored the significance of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in enhancing the delivery of quality healthcare to Ugandans.
“At Vodafone, we believe that m-Health and e-Health present a unique opportunity to move away from a focus on treatment of diseases to management of health on a regular basis. In developed markets and some of the emerging markets, there are many success stories of patients being empowered and connected to their physicians to manage their health together,” said Mr Richardson in his opening remarks at the 4th Edition of the Vodafone Power Talks at the Kampala Serena Hotel today.
The discussions held under the theme; “Improving access and delivery of healthcare through ICT” focused on key areas identified as gaps for ICT solutions to fill in healthcare delivery in Uganda are; access to up-to-date and relevant health information, adequate knowledge by patients, health personnel, service providers, decision makers as well as researchers and funding institutions and the vital role it plays in delivery of health services.
Key discussants at the event included;
– Mr Andrew Lutwama, the eHealth Advisor at the Ministry of Health who stressed government’s willingness to work with the ICT sector to bring health services closer and easier to citizens and the need for comprehensive ICT solutions for the health sector.
– Dr Paul Okello Aliker – CEO of Dental Studio who opened our eyes to all the possibilities that ICT solutions have and continue to transform basic health care functions.
– Mr Nathan Wasolo – Route to Market Lead for GSK whose presentation left us wondering what ICT drive Primary Health care solutions could really look like in Uganda,
– Mr Alfred Wise – Living Goods Country Director who demonstrated with what ease they’ve reached hard-to-reach communities with their products using simple mobile phone technologies
– Mrs Judy Mugoya – Smart Applications Country Manager who exhausted the potential of risk and and couldn’t emphasize enough the need for Insurance for all.
– And finally Ms Beatrice Bonita Nanziri, the AfriGal Tech and mDex founder who left many gaping and pondering just how much ICT women were using to keep us all alive in our homes.
At Vodafone, we believe that m-Health and e-Health present a unique opportunity to move away from a focus on treatment of diseases to management of health on a regular basis.
Innovators exhibited some health solutions like; Matibabu: A non-invasive technology for Malaria diagnosis, WinSenga – Foetal Heart Rate Monitor; a smartphone-based ultrasound alternative which aims to allow midwives and medical personnel, especially in low resource settings who rely on subjectively accurate diagnosis via a fetoscope – an 18th century invention to more accurately and effectively monitor the health of unborn children around the time of birth, Macotuba; a mobile based application (android) designed to diagnose Tuberculosis (TB) by using a mobile phone and breath sensor called the TBNose and a blood pressure & glucose strip monitor that offers a patient-doctor integrated service allowing the doctor to monitor a patient while the patient is at home or another location.
