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RE-THINKING ACUTE EMERGENCIES RESPONSE THROUGH COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN AFRICAN RURAL COMMUNITIES

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    Notes on slide 1

    Conference Paper available: Diga, K & J. Musyoka (2009) ‘Re-thinking Acute Emergency Response through Communication Technology in African peri-rural communities’ presented at the International Development Informatics Conference, Berg-en-Dal: 28-30 October.

    (such as road accidents, illnesses and robbery) -Can the usage of the mobile phone be a contributing catalyst to change in the security sector particularly during emergency situations? -Sub-Question: how is innovation interacting with citizen security during emergency particularly in rural areas? -How has new tech usage included acute emergency responses in Africa?

    -Lessons learned from the evolution of state-driven monopolies (fixed phone line) towards open competition with assigned regulation through mobile phone operators in Africa. -73% of African nations have multiple operators and competition Vast literature on mobile + socio-economic links (from micro-enterprise, improved relationships, travel cost, job searching, access to information)

    Term: Acute Emergency: localized emergency cases (individual Sickness, car accidents, robbery) This presentation does not touch upon large scale national disasters or emergencies. Focus on the local. Previous literature account for the social and economic benefits of mobile phones, profound challenges are still faced by fundamental developmental sectors such as security.

    Hypothesis: any efforts directed towards a reduction of insecurity, by engaging in preventative measures of emergency response will serve to deliver development. Investigate how innovation is interacting with citizen security during emergencies Sen under the capabilities framework – security is the 1 of 5 capabilities required in order to gain individual freedom. “ freedom from crime and violence, and social safety net to prevent misery, starvation, death” Police / fire / ambulance – social safety net – protect citizen from harm and danger to themselves and their property

    Therefore that does the introduction of the mobile phone; how has it affected citizens’ sense of safety, and cost of security in peri-rural environment? Has security improved in communities through improved throughfare of time-sensitive information? Speedy deployment of emergency action plan? Finally, given the historical failure of African states to implement state-run efficient telecommunication enterprise. Should emergency communication services be left at the hands of the state?

    Between October / November 2008 one-on-one semi-structured interviews including fire fighting staff, police, nurses, local fishing community, and students Students – transient student population due to the university Results include respondent perception and response to acute emergencies both before and after proliferation of mobile phones and costs incurred for assitance on information from technology-based services. Mobiles / emergency hotlines RATIONALE: get true micro-level sense of behavioural changes in community since the inception of mobile phones in village

    West Africa – extraordinary growth of mobile telephony For low income earners across 17 countries studied, the average African is paying more than 50 % of their disposable income on mobile services. Bottom 75 % of the income bracket in this country, found that individuals spent 16% of their income on mobile phone services Top 25% of the income bracket, spent 7.1 % In 2002, # of mobile phone subscriptions in Ghana was 1.9 per 100 inhabitants In 2007, # mobile phone subscription jump to 32.4 per 100 inhabitants -Winneba, population of 40,000, village along the Cape Coast with 3 campuses. Teacher training university - Large student population, substantial influx and efflux of population between university terms and holidays

    Before the mobile phone diffusion in Winneba, respondents state emergency response would Consist of obsolete or delayed information Costly delivery of messages Low confidence for action by citizens to assist

    Active self-reliance - felt the mobile phone has given him the catalyst to act when emergency occurs Improve own pro-active abilities to react to emergency

    -Patients call nurse’s personal numbers for immediate advice -why? nurse is familiar with situation thus, rather call the nurse and avoid wasting time re-explaining patient history at hospital with unfamiliar staff member, call all times of the day and night

    With hospital, nurses use own phone and credit to communicate with other hospital staff Environment which requires immediate feedback to patient conditions, nurse willing to incur such mobile costs for the improved health of their patient Taxi drivers always on call - community members store taxi numbers and contact taxi for immediate transport assistance Short calls eliminates time lost walking for help (could be some distance) or waiting for taxi

    In case of emergencies that occur at night, village can call taxi driver # stored Previously, respondents re-call walking the streets at night either while sick or sending for help through a friend Endangers their safety where streets are unlit and risk of danger is higher Late night strategies - immediate real time communication Improve reach of close family / relatives Lower anxiety and worry - feel less vulnerable

    Difficult to reach: Toll-free # ‘191’, ‘192’, ‘193

    - Aware respondents: difficult to reach emergency service operator / dispatcher citizen encounter busy signals, or could not connect to any line This inability to reach emergency services dispatch deterred usage of hotlines Citizens perceived hotlines as unreliable

    - Free hotline numbers are subject to abusive prank calls to the emergency call centres - tie up line and fatigue emergency service dispatchers Inundated by prank callers who abuse the hotline # for non-emergency purposes WHY? People are just coming to terms with mobile phone technology perhaps learning hot to use it- they are tinkering and they Rather tinker with free numbers than those that cost money # were toll free, callers would call (including experience of a few respondents) with no purpose, occupy line The dispatchers miss genuine calls from congestion Misuse of hotlines reduces efficiency of hotline network

    STRATEGICES: 1) Collect personal mobile numbers of emergency service personnel, ie local clinic doctors /nurses / police chief -conversely, emergency service personnel provide their personal #s 2) Go Face-to-Face 3) Another Tactic: one fire service staff would ask caller to phone the landline of the fire department since direct office landline would cost money to caller. Fire staff perceives this weeding out process as effective in addressing genuine emergency calls

    -further discussion is required to understand better the trade-offs substitutions and complements of cost.

    On a “who-you-know” basis -individuals new to area are disadvantaged with poor social networks --> limited Disadvantaged are availed only time consuming and costly options Some citizens favoured with emergency services “friends” In the case of Winneba, transient student population come from other remote parts of Ghana to live temporarily on campus. They are unaware of local emergency staff and personal contact information Asymmetrical information Ghana’s attempt to implement emergency hotlines Intended to ensure any citizen regardless of income status or situation are able to reach emergency services without delay or cost

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    RE-THINKING ACUTE EMERGENCIES RESPONSE THROUGH COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN AFRICAN RURAL COMMUNITIES - Presentation Transcript

    1. Re-thinking Acute Emergency Response through Communication Technology in African peri-rural communities IDIA Conference 28-30 October 2009 Kathleen Diga Jason Musyoka
    2. Agenda
      • Research Question
      • Mobile Phones and security emergency services
      • Methodology
      • Case Study Findings
        • Mobile Perceptions (Before/After)
        • Emergency Service Perceptions
        • Analysis / Conclusion
      • How has the usage of mobile phones improved or worsened perception to acute emergency response in rural communities?
      Research Question
    4. 50.9% average growth rate - Africa vs 11.9% -22.7% other continents ¼ of Africa pop. = mobile subscription Mobile Statistics (ITU 2007)
    5. Literature: Term - Acute Emergency: localized emergency cases Phone usage in emergency: *Mobiles and food security (Bertolini, 2004) *Link between mobile and human security (Ukeje, 2005)
    6. *Capability: security required in order to gain individual freedom (Sen 1999) *Emergency Services: Reduce vulnerability of citizen, lower insecurity *Poverty Study (Diga, 2008)
    7. INDICATORS *Citizens perception of safety / emergency response? *Perceived cost of security? *Effectiveness of state-delivered emergency services
    8. Case Study Approach Qualitative Winneba, Ghana *3 FGD *14 semi-structured interviews *1 month *Emergency services personnel *Residents (local & transient)
    9. *16% of individual income on mobile phone services vs 2-3 % average income world wide Gillwald & Stork (2008) *2007 mobile phone Subscription 32.4 (per 100 inhabitants) *Winneba, Ghana: 35 miles from capital, Accra (45 minutes via transport) Map: http://www.studyabroad.com/ghana/map.html
    10. Perceptions: Before * Low confidence for citizen action * Costly delivery (time / money) of messages * Obsolete or delayed information “ It’s like I didn’t, nothing pushed me to do something. Even if there was an emergency, I feel like I was caged, I can’t do anything about it” – Busi, 20, officer worker
    11. Perception: After 1. Active self-reliance 2. Quick, but costly Information transfer 3. Etiquette of “always- On” business 4. Improved safety
    12. “ Since I have a phone, when I see something, like threat to life, I can do something. Let me do my best and push my quota in.” – Busi, 20, officer worker access savings
    13. *Spend more on mobile phones during emergency than on average day why? *Feel obliged to call during emergencies *Need to deliver detailed information = lengthy calls
    14. Nurses: *Patients call Personal numbers why? *Avoid wasted time : Re-explain history *Avoid hospital queues *Avoid travel costs *Lower anxiety
    15. *Nurses incur costs *Taxi drivers always on call *Immediate assistance
    16. *Lower risk (at night) *Quicker reach of family *Feel less vulnerable
    17. Perceptions: Poor -Emergency hotline numbers -Unaware of numbers Emergency Communication Services (Ghana)
    18. Perception: “one thing about fire service, sometimes you call… [the staff say,] ‘oh, we are coming,’ but they might not come” – Harold (20, labourer) Emergency Communication Services (Ghana) – cont’d
    19. Emergency Communication Services (Ghana) – cont’d Prank calls – misuse Ex. Fire station Winneba 30 false calls a day -Network congestion Why?
    20. Alternative Emergency Communication Strategies “ you call the police and they would think that it is not serious or you are just calling them for fun. But when you go physically, they know that it is very critical so they have to make contact.” Christal (29, receptionist)
    21. Mobile Phone Analysis *Rapid response *Dramatic time savings *High mobile credit cost but other costs lower *Reduced anxiety
    22. Emergency Hotline Analysis *Not all citizens have personal numbers (asymmetrical information) *Hotlines have not alleviated unevenness *Today: systems reinforce practices that promote unequal communication access!
    23. Recommendations National / Local Policies *Mobiles as tools for Emergency Services Personnel *Surveillance / Enforcement Action for misuse of hotlines *Improved Awareness (local outreach initiatives) *Equal distribution of phone numbers, hotlines, landlines, mobile
    24. Conclusions *Mobile impact in emergency / Security *Identify local responses / adapt *Inclusion for all
    25. Thank you! Kathleen Diga [email_address] Jason Musyoka [email_address]

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