Tech(Knowledge)y is Power

This week Jody Ranck, Director of Thought Leadership, Policy and Advocacy at the MHealth Alliance came to us and shared some insight about using the availability of cell phone around the world to provide better health care to developing countries. 

Currently, both the private and public sectors in developing countries are struggling with providing adequate health care to the people. The issue of health care, similar to that of education, is one that is convoluted and complicated, with each action affecting multiple sectors in the country. It is difficult to single out on particular issue that is the root of the problem: it is a result of economic and political issues as well as poor planning and implementation. Even once a program is implemented, there is the difficulty of availability, accessibility and affordability. 

One issue that many developing countries are trying to cope with is the 'brain drain' phenomenon: physicians and nurses in from developing countries are being recruited by Western countries. With more opportunities available these doctors leave their own countries, further exasperating the health care and economic situation in third world countries. First off, by losing these doctors, the country has lost an important investment (it takes up to $150,000 to train doctors) and then they are also losing useful and essential skills that could help bring these developing countries out of poverty. I feel it is important to note that developing countries have the skills and access to the knowledge to properly train and teach health professional, the problem now lies in creating incentive for these doctors to remain in their home countries.

This is where technology comes into the picture to 'bridge the gap'. In his lecture, Mr. Ranck discussed the possibility of using technology to provide countries with necessary health care and knowledge. With the widespread availability and use of cell phones throughout the globe, a doctor could receive picture texts to help identify a disease or problem, and readily respond with a diagnosis and assistance via SMS text. I believe that this is an important and potentially vital temporary solution, however, not a long-term solution. I do not believe that technology and text-message diagnosis can ever replace a person-to-person interaction and assistance from a doctor. As we've already seen here in America, the availability of 'medical' assistance on the Internet has led to a society of hypochondriacs and self-medication. Even the slightest pain or discomfort leads us to Google search our symptoms and before we know it we're convinced we are dying of Jumping Frenchman's Disease. Also, as was brought up in lecture, without a doctor to regulate drug use, there becomes the potential issue of drug abuse in these developing countries. So, the real issue lies in how we use technology to bring the country up-to-par to developed countries such as the U.K., U.S.A. and Canada (where many doctors from poorer countries migrate to) so that the health professionals remain in their home country. 

So, this essentially becomes a socio-economic issue; but this once again is interlinked with the health care and the situation can be eased with technology. I think that the MHealth Alliance is on the right track with their Maternal-Newborn mHealth Initiative. The problem of maternal mortality is an issue that is holding back many developing countries; there are millions of children without mothers (who have died as a result of childbirth) to raise and care for them. Then there becomes the issue of an age gap within the population, with many young children and the elderly; and it is the adult population necessary to create a stable and productive economy. The Maternal-Newborn mHealth Initiative (MMI) main goal is in providing information during pregnancy and post-pregnancy via cell phones to reduce mother and infant mortality. If this program can continue and strength such that complications are addressed at a fast enough rate to reduce the mortality rate, and then provide information to mothers to ensure that their infants are being raised in a healthy manner, in the long-term it could assist in strengthening the population needed to rectify the socio-economic situation of developing countries. Like most problems that exist in developed countries, the time frame for results to become apparent will probably be a few decades. 

However, with a stronger adult population, the economy could begin to strengthen, creating a greater incentive for the professionals to remain, than seek better opportunities abroad.  I think that technology could be a great supplement to assist in moving developed countries forward, however, I also believe that it is important that these initiatives are kept in mind as temporary solutions. I do not believe it will be beneficial in the long-term to push initiatives that move healthcare in developed countries to be completely via technology; that will only create more incentive for the educated to leave their country, instead of staying and trying to create a stronger economy at home on par with developed countries.