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

[Meddie Mayanja]

Peter makes a very important yet provocative point. One of the things
to draw from the research on TV and Phones is that there is evidence
of the impact of ICT to improve quality of life. You have heard of
comments like "if people are still struggling with Malaria why do we
invest in telecentres?" 

I also notice that community radios probably show best how ICTs can
strongly impact rural development - if well used.

The question to Peter:

So, how do telecentres get involved in the initiative you described?
What will be their role?

Best, Meddie



>---- Original Message ----
>From: peterbnyc at gmail.com
>To: ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
>Subject: Re: [UgaBYTES] Evidence | TV & Phone key in fighting malaria
>Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:33:33 -0400
>
>>Dear Colleagues
>>
>>Thank you Sarah for your message ... the fact of malaria's
>seriousness
>>in Africa is well known ... and to their credit the various funding
>>agencies have now increased fund flows into the malaria industry
>from
>>around $100 million a year five years ago to more than $1 billion
>last
>>year, and maybe considerably more this year.
>>
>>A good number of my professional friends are very concerned that
>this
>>money is being wasted ... but it is very difficult to get solid data
>>about this. The people and organizations that are handling the money
>>are not anxious to have a solid accounting and there is very little
>>data about the fund flows, what is being done with the money, and
>what
>>benefits arise from the money.
>>
>>This is a classic case of minimal accountability ... and made worse
>by
>>well meaning people becoming engaged to "study" what is going on and
>>write reports. This is not accounting and cannot produce
>>accountability, but it does satisfy the media and the gullible
>public.
>>Bottom line, we (the public) are being told a lot about "activities"
>>but almost nothing about results.
>>
>>Maybe as much as 70% of the money is being used for long lasting
>>insecticide impregnated bednets LLINs) . Studies seem to show they
>>reduce malaria in a community when enough people in the community