Health

ICTs can be valuable tools in a variety of ways within the health sector.

They can help by:

• collecting and transferring data on patterns and trends of diseases, and related health measures
• disseminating key health messages to the general public
• facilitating the management of services by increasing efficiency in the handling of day-to-day data and information necessary for planning, budgeting and programming
• allowing health workers to communicate with each other, sharing important knowledge and to access medical journals and reports from around the world.
• allowing health workers in remote locations to have access to the knowledge and experience of doctors in urban hospitals

In the case of disseminating information to the general public, for example; the topic of HIV/AIDS is taboo and not easily discussed, even with health specialists. One way ICTs are used to transfer information is by providing touch screen computer consoles in community centers. Ensuring that these consoles contain a variety of information, including information on HIV/AIDS, the general public can access this information with a certain degree of anonymity. Also, the touch screen consoles can be designed in such a way that literacy is not a barrier to the information.

ICTs also allow health workers to communicate with doctors worldwide, quickly, and with the support of graphics, often essential in determining a diagnosis. For instance, a rural health worker may not have the training or knowledge to formulate a diagnosis in a specific case. He or she can upload his or her case into an online platform designed for this purpose, and subsequently receive help from experts around the world. Such projects are often referred to as telemedicine projects.

To ensure that healthcare providers can deliver high quality levels of care, they need to be 'connected' to learning, knowledge and information. In most developing countries however, rural health workers are mostly disconnected from such learning and educational opportunities and, aside from the threat to quality of care, this leads to lower levels of morale and commitment to their work.

ICTs can bring learning resources and information to the learners, instead of making the learners travel to the places of learning. This allows health workers to learn in their own workplace and in their own time. ICTs can also provide opportunities for interactive communication and networking. They also offer opportunities for health information to be generated locally to suit local situations, thus enhancing its relevance. Finally, they offer many opportunities to bring new information and ideas

There are many more ways ICTs can benefit the health sector in developing countries. To learn more, read some of the articles below in the iConnect series, or view the resources section at the right.