The development of mobile telephony on the continent continues to impact essential sectors such as health. By joining forces, the two parties aim to improve the lives of millions of people by using mobile data capabilities to reduce the spread of disease.
The International Association of Mobile Operators (GSMA) and the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) signed on Wednesday 1st March, 2023 in Barcelona, an agreement to harness the power of mobile to fight diseases in Africa.
« Bringing together expertise and resources will establish a powerful new infrastructure that provides African health workers with access to the information they need in a timely manner and the intelligence to help prevent the spread of diseases across international borders. ” said Angela Wamola (pictured, left), Head of Sub-Saharan Africa for the GSMA.
As part of the partnership, the GSMA will work closely with Africa CDC on HealthConnekt Africa, a bold new initiative to connect all healthcare facilities and workforce in Africa to the internet by 2030.
The initiative will begin with a small group of African Union Member States and pioneering communities, who will see their health facilities connected to the internet and their health workers equipped with smart devices, enabling them to improve the quality of care provided to their clients through access to essential online resources.
It should be noted that in Africa, mobile growth has been phenomenal over the past two decades. According to the World Bank and the African Development Bank, Africa had 650 million cell phone users in 2013, more than in the United States or Europe, while for the Swedish telecommunications group Ericsson, the smartphone penetration rate in Africa will reach 70% in 2024.
