Bridging the Digital Divide for Health in Developing Countries

1. APLIC - I 34th ANNUAL CONFERENCE Building the 2-Way Street Enabling Voices for the South

2. Our Mission SATELLIFEis committed to building healthier communities in developing countries using the power of information technology.

3. Started in 1987 by the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War • In 1989 created HealthNet, a global electronic information and communications network for health professionals • Pioneered basic store and forward e-mail computer nodes and local networks in developing countries • Developed low-cost e-mail based access to high-quality health information, publications and discussion groups History

4. The Digital Divide and Information Poverty • Contributing factors: • Poor telecommunications infrastructures • High cost of telephone and Internet usage, as well as equipment • High cost of journal subscriptions and medical literature. • Unfavorable regulatory environments • Insufficient technical and end user training

5. The Digital Divide and Information Poverty • The results: • Isolation of health workers; “Brain Drain” • Inability to access global knowledge • Inability to share knowledge locally, nationally, or internationally • Patients do not get the best possible care.

6. SATELLIFE Nepal Eritrea Ethiopia Ghana Kenya Sudan Uganda Zimbabwe The HealthNet Sites

7. Each HealthNet has evolved to meet local needs and conditions. • HealthNet Ethiopia • Phone lines but no Internet. • SATELLIFE calls 3-5 times a day via modem. • Redistributes e-mail to over 50 sites. • HealthNet Kenya • Shared Internet account retrieves e-mail. • Store and forward in-country. • Operates a training centre. • HealthNet Nepal • Internet Service Provider for region. • Offers full Web access and a wide range of information services. • Offers many other services, including Web site hosting, training, computer networking, and Internet phone. • HealthNet Haiti • No phone lines. • Connect using satellite ground station. • Receive e-mail 4 -6 times a day.

8. HealthNet News WHO Library Digest for Africa E-Farmacos E-DRUG HealthNet News -AIDS ProCAARE Offline access to the World Wide Web Child Health Dialogue ProCOR Electronic Directory AFRONETS and others ... INDICES E-Mail SATELLIFE Information Services Electronic Publications Global Electronic Conferences GetWeb AIDS Action Global Database of Health Professionals Health Action

9. Lessons Learned from a Decade of Service 1.) The Technology Continuum 2.) Institutional Capacity, Local Ownership 3.) Sustainability & Business Planning 4.) Training

10. 1. The Technology Continuum SATELLITE INTERNET SATELLIFE Ground Station TELEPHONE HUB LOCAL ISP telephone hub end users end users SATELLIFE and its HealthNet partners employ a continuum of technologies to facilitate communication and the exchange of information among health professionals worldwide.

11. 2. Institutional Capacity and Local Ownership • INDICATORS FOR SUCCESS • Strong sense of local ownership • Need for network recognized locally • Clearly defined roles and responsibilities • Healthy partnership between SATELLIFE and local entity • Local “champion” • IMPEDIMENTS TO SUCCESS • Roles and responsibilities not clearly defined • Insufficient funding • No long-term plan • No perceived value of network as a solution to local needs • Poorly developed partnership between SATELLIFE and local entity • No local “champion”

12. 3. Self-sustainability and Business Planning HealthNets that have attained a high degree of sustainability and financial independence from SATELLIFE share many of these features: sound management business plan cost recovery system marketing strategy qualified paid staff customer service orientation

13. 4.Training SATELLIFE’s experience with the Regional Information Technology Training Centre at HealthNet Kenya demonstrated the huge demand for computer training among health professionals. Many HealthNet sites are making training a top priority. SATELLIFE also invests in technical training for HealthNet System Operators.

14. FUTURE DIRECTIONS Technical upgrades Increased marketing Training Rural Access Multiple technologies Evaluation

15. 30 California Street Watertown, MA 02472 USA http://www.healthnet.org phone: +(617) 926-9400 fax: +(617) 926-1212 e-mail: leela@usa.healthnet.org