I was stunned when the news came into my sight this morning! Without doubt, agreed that mobile networks are booming in Africa countries with the efforts from communication companies. Undeniably the usage of mobile phones is increasing in the region these few years, either for personal or business purpose. Yet the feasibility of this healthcare programme is unconvincing and uncertain!
How would the information being distributed around the public? Educate citizens by sending out a simple SMS from automated system? Or making usual phone calls by government funded centre? Or the least possible channel, which required users to browse the internet and receive push email by subscribing 3G services? This is ridiculous! The mobile industry is not fully developed and welcomed within the region! Along with this issue, do you believe that the low income groups (which vulnerable to HIV) are able to pay for the gadgets? This is the key point to be studied before the programme launched. Straighten out your politic and economy before implementing any ineffectual agenda in your countries!
A good number of the mobile phone owners are resided in Western, Southern and Northern part of Africa, where people are affordable to bear the additional living costs and it’s stress-free for them to obtain any medical service. However, is the programme being put into practice for the well off, middle class, or the poor who living at the verge of life? How likely for them to reach the deprived group by mobile network? How many of them will be of the same mind after received the reminder SMS? Where will be the government funds gone to? How much cash will be drove into those gigantic communication companies? I doubt.
