Health News of Tuesday, 24 February 2015

Source: GNA

Vodafone supports Healthcare with Immunization Tracker “App”

Vodafone Ghana, a telecommunications company, has partnered the Legon Center for Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Services (CERSGIS) to roll out a mobile application “app” that aids child healthcare delivery and immunization.

The Immunization Tracker App, which is part of an initiative dubbed ‘Mobile for Good,’ develops location intelligence database of children under five years who require immunisation and subsequently connects healthcare delivery services to support them.

The CERSGIS is among seven NGOs and social enterprises that benefited from Vodafone Ghana’s GH¢500,000.00 fund to undertake innovative mobile solutions that deliver social change.

The Telecommunications Company’s support for health innovation is in line with its track record for developing initiatives, including Healthline, Healthline 255, Ebola Messaging and Healthfest.

Commenting on the initiative, Haris Broumidis, Chief Executive of Vodafone Ghana said: “Our dedication and commitment to the ‘Mobile for Good’ initiative reiterates our promise to invest more into the communities we serve; to reach out to people in need and promote high standards in the telecommunication industry”.

The Immunization tracker “app” will deploy the use of Voice SMS and GPS technology as platforms to address these challenges.

Speaking on the partnership with Vodafone Ghana, Henry Baffoe, the eMapping and Innovations Coordinator at CERSGIS said, “We took part in the Mobile for Good competition to partner Vodafone to effectively reach out to 90 per cent of stakeholders by the fourth month of the project period.

We envisage the resulting data sets generated from this project will eventually transcend the frontiers of immunization into other areas within the health sector”.

The Mobile for Good project, opened to NGOs and enterprises involved in mobile technology, is geared towards utilising mobile technology to make communities in Ghana better and drive social change in health and education.

Since its establishment, the Vodafone Ghana Foundation has moved from just funding projects to investing into developing sustainable initiatives that solve pressing social issues and benefits several communities in the country.