Mobile  Technologies  for  the  Management  and  Monitoring  of  

HIV  and  AIDS    

Prof  Darelle  van  Greunen  School  of  ICT  

Nelson  Mandela  Metropolitan  University  

Purpose  of  this  Presenta?on  

How  can  ICTs  be  taken  onboard  to  assist  with  the  fight  against  HIV/AIDS?    

   

   

How  can  we  be  sure  that  mobile  healthcare  (mHealth)  is  not  just  technology-­‐driven  hype?  

Taking  ICT  on  board  

•  HIV/AIDS   informaJon   should   be   found  everywhere    –  radio,  cell  phone,  TV  and  internet.      

•  ICTs   make   HIV/AIDS   informaJon   easily  accessible,  confidenJal  and  user  friendly.  

•  ICTs   have  become  more   and  more   accessible  to  everyone  including  the  rural  communiJes.  

 

The  South  African  Landscape  

•  Largest   on   African   conJnent   in   terms   of  revenue  and  customers  of  ICT  market.  

•  Telecomms   well   developed   with   a   range   of  transmission  media.  

•  98%   mobile   penetraJon,   4th   largest   mobile  communicaJon  market  in  the  world  (2011).  

•  High  internet  penetraJon.  •  ICT  market  forecasted  to  grow  11.3%  p.a.  

Why  is  it  not  happening?  

•  Lack   of   awareness   from   management   level  and   the   rural   communiJes   in   understanding  the  potenJal  impacts  that  ICT  can  have.    

•  People   are   stuck   in   their   ways   and   it   will  require   a   paradigm   shiX   to  move   away   from  an   industrial   thinking   to   an   informaJon  technology-­‐thinking  paYern.    

Opportuni?es:  WWW  

•  InformaJon  and  data   from  all  over   the  world  is  available  through  the  internet.    

•  MeeJngs,   conferences,   workshops,   seminars  and   trainings   on   HIV/   AIDS   are   mainly  announced   through   the   different   web-­‐pages  that  deal  with  issues  of  HIV/  AIDS.    

•  There  are  also  chat  pages  available  for  youths  interested  in  talking  and  discussing  their  views  and  fears  about  the  disease.    

Opportuni?es:  Mobile  

•  The  example  of  Kenya  – One   World   has   launched   a   service   using   text  messages   whereby   people   can   text   quesJons  regarding   HIV/AIDS   to   a   special   number   and  receives  a  reply.    

– Daily   Jps   are   also   sent   to   mobile   subscribers  detailing  how  to  prevent  and  deal  with  infecJon.    

–  InformaJon   is   available   in   both   English   and  Kiswahili   languages   that   are   the  most   commonly  used.  

Mobile  Health  Tools  •  Mobile   tools   support   the   viewing,   receiving,   and/or  sending   informaJon   to   and   from   cellular   phones   and  other  wireless  devices.      

•  Encompasses   many   things   -­‐   the   mobile   web,   mobile  applicaJons,  and  text  messaging.        

•  Mobile   health   tools   can   help   paJents   set   up  medicaJon   and   medical   appointment   reminders   and  receive   these   reminders   through   email   or   Short  Message  Service  (SMS)/text  messages.      

•  Various   mobile   health   applicaJons   or   “apps”   for  iPhones/Smartphones   also   support   healthcare  management.      

Opportuni?es  

•  ICT  intervenJons  in  South  Africa  –  Primarily  pilot  projects  –  Limited  number  

•  NaJonal  e-­‐Health  Strategy  •  Strategic  Health  InnovaJon  Partnerships  (SHIP)  –  Focus  on  medical  devices    –  Specific  focus  on  HIV  and  TB  

•  Inter-­‐insJtuJonal  collaboraJon  across  disciplines  

The  future  

•  CollaboraJve  partnerships  across  disciplines  •  Capita l i ze   on   knowledge   of   mobi le  applicaJons  on  African  conJnent  

•  Quick  win  intervenJons  – Social  network  sites  – Blogs  – Mobile  health  tools/applicaJons  – Pod  casts  – Short  video  clips  on  phones  

Thank  you  for  your  aHen?on.  

Contact:  Darelle.vanGreunen@nmmu.ac.za