|
introduction Lack of information on treatments and disease management is one of the pressing health care problems in Africa. In the Health Information Project SATELLIFE turned to a device that is gaining widespread popularity in many Western medical communities: handheld computers, also called personal digital assistants or PDAs. The technology encompassed by PDAs offers a unique but untapped promise to conduct surveys in an efficient manner with subsequent rapid data analysis and reporting, and to enable physicians and other health professionals to have constant access to up-to-date information. SATELLIFE is conducting the Project in three African countries: Ghana, Kenya and Uganda.
SATELLIFE has over thirteen years' experience in the use of appropriate, affordable technologies to link health professionals to each other and to reliable sources of information. Low-earth-orbit satellites, geostationary satellites, modem-to-modem telephone links and the Internet have all been employed by SATELLIFE to provide affordable information and communication services to health professionals in developing countries. The addition of the PDAs to SATELLIFE's continuum of technologies promises to expand the benefits of IT to more rural areas where resources for health practitioners are scarce or unavailable.
To find our more about this exciting project, please see: |
