[UgaBYTES] Evidence | TV & Phone key in fighting malaria

Wed Aug 27 07:45:35 GMT 2008

Thanks Meddie and Peter for this yet more useful information in the fight
against malaria, which is the most killer disease on the African
continent. I would also like to bring to your attention the importance of
radios as well whether community or commercial radios in the fight against
malaria. Radios have tremendously done a wonderful job in combating the
disease. They present health programs that specifically addresses the
prevalent health problems in the communities they reach.

I would also love to see telecentres take on the same initiative in the
fight against the disease other than just pinning chats on their walls
because malaria is the most killer disease. Am interested to learn more
how we can effectively involve telecentres in the fight against the
disease.

Cheers
Sarah Mpagi

> Dear Colleagues
>
> I thonk some of you know, I have been interested in malaria for some
> time. The malaria inndustry has increased its funding from around $100
> million a year to more tha $1 billion last year and the expectation is
> that it will be higher in the future.
>
> That ought to be good news. But sadly the vast bulk of the spending is
> doing rather little to actual decrease the burden of malaria for real
> people with real lives in real places.
>
> I am for education ... and I am for the acquisiton of knowledge ...
> and I am for studies and analysis that helps to improve performance
> ... but sadly. what I observe is all of these thigs going on ... money
> being spent, and very little improvement in performance that can be
> (1) identified and (2) verified.
>
> I am becoming increasingly aware that the malaria strategy that has
> been implemented over the last few years is costing a lot, and
> reducting the burden of malaria rather modestly. Maybe the upcoming
> WHO report will show something else ... but the interim information I
> have see suggests that if the money had been spet on IRS rather than
> bednets.. there might well have been three times the progress ...
> maybe 10 times the progress, if it had been combined with better
> community level management of the efforts.
>
> I am an advocate for good managemet information ... this ICN study
> does not fit into my idea of somethig very useful. Having said that
> ... I do see a opportunity for telecenters and ICT to be used to flow
> data that are important for the management of malaria control
> resources and in my own work I am looking to do just this. One of the
> tools we are working toeards is FrontlineSMS to serve as the first
> link in the dataflow chain.
>
> If anyone would like to learn more of this, please let me know.
>
> Sincerely
>
> Peter Burgess
> ___________
> Peter Burgess
> The Transparency and Accountability Network: Tr-Ac-Net in New York
> www.tr-ac-net.org
> Community Accountancy
> Integrated Malaria Management Consortium (IMMC)
> 917 432 1191 or 212 772 6918 peterbnyc at gmail.com
> ////////////////////////////
> On Mon, Aug 25, 2008 at 12:33 PM, Meddie Mayanja <mmayanja at idrc.ca> wrote:
>>
>> Dear all,
>>
>> This study might be of interest to you. It suggests the information and
>> communication networks have a significant impact to fighting malaria.
>> The
>> study uses telephone density and TV density as two major ICN variables
>> to
>> investigate its impact in reducing malaria deaths. The cross country
>> analysis shows that the ICN density as measured by the telephones and TV
>> sets per 1,000 people has a significant correlation with reduced
>> probability
>> of malaria deaths. Telephones, an inter-personal means of communication,
>> connects individuals to a bigger social network and facilitates rapid
>> diagnosis and treatment, whereas TV, a mass media communication means,
>> can
>> provide disease awareness among the population, encourage people to
>> adopt
>> healthy behaviour and communicate risk mitigation measures. Read more
>> from
>> here: http://www.malariajournal.com/content/6/1/136#B5
>>
>> In preventing malaria, ICN may not have a direct impact similar to
>> malaria
>> drugs but it can certainly increase the effectiveness of the
>> intervention
>> strategies and resources indirectly. ICN can speed up the delivery of
>> services and provide access to crucial health information. Access to
>> information and knowledge allows the community members to participate in
>> opportunities and activities related to their own development.
>> There have been concerns raised by researchers that more availability of
>> telephone lines and Internet connections will not address the
>> fundamental
>> problems in developing countries which arise mainly because of unequal
>> distribution of wealth and inequitable access to technology.
>>
>> A successful effort of malaria prevention would have to promote access
>> of
>> ICN facilities to the disadvantaged and deprived classes in the society.
>> Recently there have been some exciting innovations to address the needs
>> of
>> the disadvantaged groups in the society. For instance, the cellular
>> phone
>> operations by Grameen Telecom (GTC) in Bangladesh, where telephone
>> density
>> is one of the lowest in the world, has become a very successful venture.
>> Another initiative, Grameen Communications (GC) has developed a number
>> of
>> multipurpose tele-centers in the rural areas that provide villagers
>> access
>> to information, communication, services and education relating to
>> information technology.
>>
>> Best, Meddie
>>
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>>
>
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-- 
Nalwoga Sarah Mpagi
Program Officer
Knowledge Management and Research
UgaBYTES Initiative
Plot 2218 Ggaba Road, Kabalagala
Opp. Shell
2nd Floor, Kangave House
P.O. Box 6081 Kampala,Uganda
Mobl: +256 772- 433158
Off: +256-414-267247
Check our web: http://www.ugabytes.org
skype: sarah.nalwoga.mpagi
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