Mobile phones may become a key weapon in the war against HIV and AIDS in Africa, by allowing counselors to reach greater numbers of people, says the chief of the United Nation's AIDS agency.
With basic intensive training and armed with mobile phones, local community or village workers could be a part of the health service delivery system, says Michel Sidibe of the UN AIDS agency.
A pilot project is underway in Nigeria. Village workers - who have barely been through secondary school - have been trained to identify symptoms of minor ailments. They tour villages examining patients and then use their mobile phones to call up trained medical workers at a major referral center to get a diagnosis and prescription dictated over the phone.
- Tiffanie Depew
SOURCE: Africa Good News
Posts
