MOVING INFORMATION INTO THE HANDS OF THOSE WHO HEAL
Handheld computers (also known as PDAs) and emerging wireless technologies provide us with unprecedented opportunities to move information out to where it is needed most. We can now package local and international health and medical information and put it in the hands of health workers in environments where electricity, telephone lines and books are not readily available, and the Internet may still be years away.
Handheld computers are also powerful tools for data collection, providing rapid access to information that policy makers and health planners need to respond to and prevent disease outbreaks, practice sound resource management, and track public health issues.
SATELLIFE has conducted a successful trial of this technology in East Africa. Our work with health workers in multiple settings demonstrated that handheld computers work in this environment, can be easily adopted by new users, and provide a cost-effective alternative to personal computers for many functions. Most importantly, they fill a critical gap in the information chain.
SATELLIFE's PDA Project
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