InternationalTelecommunicationUnion
Information and communication infrastructure in Africa and the
uptake of eHealth
Eng. Brahima Sanou
ITU Regional Representative for Africa
ECOSOC Africa Regional Ministerial Meeting - Health – use of information and communication technology for health
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Key Areas
Africa Broadband Connectivity and connectivity to the worldAccess/Penetration of telecommunications and ICTICT and eHealth UptakeChallenges and opportunitiesRole of ITU
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ITU – Who we are
UN Specialized Agency for Information and
Communication Technologies (ICT)
Established on 17 May 1865
191 Member States and 700 Sector Members
Central role in CONNECTING THE WORLD
Organization in three sectorsRadiocommunicationStandardizationDevelopment
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UNDERSEA CABLES 2007
Source: TeleGeography research
ICT uptake in Sub Saharan Africa and in the world, 2007 50
19 20
5 4
39
14 13
2 1
23
24
0,1 0,30
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Mobile cellularsubscriptions
Fixedtelephone
lines
I nternet users Fixedbroadbandsubscribers
Mobilebroadband
subscriptions
Per
10
0 i
nh
ab
itan
ts
World
Developing
Africa
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database.
ICT developments in Sub Saharan Africa, 1997-2007
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database.
1,5
23,0
3,6
0,1
0,3
0
5
10
15
20
25
1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007
Per
10
0 in
habit
ants
Fixed telephone linesMobile cellular subscriptionsInternet users
Fixed broadband subscribersMobile broadband subscriptions
Mobile population coverage
Population covered by mobile signal
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
%
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database.
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ICT and eHealth uptake
Health service governance
Surveys
Database sharing updating
Communication including interactive
communication amongst health professionalseHealth Forums
Experience sharing and training through
telemedicine
Public information system
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CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Paradigm change for policy makersFrom industrial based economy to
knowledge based economyFrom ICT merchant economic sector to
ICT underlying economic growth sectorStreamlining ICT as key in national and
regional health policy
Paradigm change for health ProfessionalsAwareness raising and training of Health
Professionals
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CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Mobile and wireless communications : big asset for
eHealth uptake in Africa Africa has got the fastest growth of mobile phone in the
world and the coverage with mobile signal goes from 70% up to almost 100% some countries (Health governance, public information)
Satellites cover all Africa including RASCOM a dedicated satellite for Africa. Other projects are planning to cover Africa with affordable broadband connectivity by satellite
Development of applications and financing Develop eHealth communication applications to use the
existing ICT network Resources generated from ICT sector (Universal
access/service funds) could help develop applications for rural and remote areas.
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ITU and eHealth
WSIS, WSIS assigned the co-facilitator to WHO
and ITU for eHelath in Action line C7 WSIS facilitator role to ITU for Action line
C5 “Building confidence in the use of ICT”
WTDCWorld Telecommunication Development
Conference (WTDC) adopted a Regional Initiative of “ICT applications” for Africa and “E-Strategies and ICT Applications”
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ITU and eHealthConnect AfricaConnect Africa adopted “Goal 5: Adopt a
national e-strategy, including a cyber-security framework, and deploy at least one flagship e-government service as well as e-education, e-commerce and e-health services using accessible technologies in each country in Africa by 2012, with the aim of making multiple e-government and other e-services widely available by 2015.”
WHO and ITU are working together on Africa Health Infoway project
ITU-D Study GroupQuestion 14-2/2: Telecommunication for eHealthGuidelines for eHealth Master Plan
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CONCLUSION
Paradigm change for policy makers to consider ICT as underlying economic growth sector and streamline ICT as key in national and regional health policies
Thank you mobile and other wireless technologies Health delivery in rural and remote areas is possible
WHO and ITU in accordance with their core mandate are closely working together with other stakeholders to make sure that ICT and Health bring eHealth
InternationalTelecommunicationUnion
Eng. Brahima SanouITU Regional Representative for AfricaE-mail: [email protected]
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