Keynote presentation for seminar Mobile technology for nutrition (Wageningen, May 2014) scetching the landscape of mobile and ICT applications in nutrition (linking to mhealth trends)

1. Mobile Nutrition, the landscape
Seminar Mobile technology for nutrition
Centre for Development Innovation, 28 May 2014
Mirjam Schaap

2. mNutrition
Using mobile technology in
planning, managing and
providing nutrition services

3. 12 mNutrition + ICT applications
mHealth innovations as health system strengthening tools: 12 common
applications and a visual framework, Labrique et.al., August 2013
Client education and behavior
change communication (BCC)
Sensors and point-of-care
diagnostics
Registries and vital events
tracking
Data collection and reporting
Electronic health records
Electronic decision support
Provider-to-provider
communication
Provider work planning and
scheduling
Provider training and
education
Human resource management
Supply chain management
Financial transactions and
incentives
mHealth
mHealth apps used as health systems strengthening innovations

4. 12 mNutrition + ICT applicationsmNutrition
Client education and behaviour
change communication (BCC)
Sensors and point-of-care
diagnostics
Registries and vital events
tracking
Data collection and reporting
Electronic health records
Electronic decision support
Provider-to-provider
communication
Provider work planning and
scheduling
Provider training and
education
Human resource management
Supply chain management
Financial transactions and
incentives
- mNutrition projects comprise of packages of 2 or more apps;
- employ 1 or more mobile (phone) functions (SMS, IVR, wifi)

5. Mobile Integrated Resources for
Aurat-women (MIRA) channel
- Help connect to health services
- Iconic messaging + audio support
Connect4Change Ghana
- IVR – reach illiterate audience
- with text to change (TTC)
Share nutrition info through SMS
- Save the Children, Unicef, TTC
Client education and behavior change
communication (BCC)
1

6. Mobile data collection - Examples4
UNICEF Malawi
Nutrition surveillance: collect and
transmit child nutrition information
via SMS
- Rapid SMS
- Feature phone
UNHCR Standardised Expanded
Nutrition Surveys (Sens)
- Open Data Kit
- Android

7.  Manage collection across regions;
 Faster to fill + compile;
 Data more accurate:
● collect+digitize at source
● no more data entry
● data cleaning limited
● pre coded ranges, skip logic
 user friendly / motivating;
 easy monitoring of collection team
 easy visualisation
Mobile data collection tablets : Advantages4

8. Electronic decision support: eNUT6
Supporting diagnosis + treatment of childhood malnutrition
- App takes nurse through guidelines
- Acces + enter patient data
- 20% more accurate in diagnosis
http://www.d-tree.org/

9. Supply chain management11
SMS for life
- Mobile phones
- Internet
- Mapping technologies
monitoring stock levels

10. mHealth Compendium, volume 3, USAID, 2013
Financial transactions and incentives:
Interactive Alerts
12
Improving vaccine coverage through small incentives

11. Sean Blaschke (Unicef Uganda)
Uganda:
pilotitis
mHealth
Mortorium
Datastorage
= DHIS2
District health
info. system 2

12. Using Mobile Phones for Nutrition Surveillance: A Review of Evidence. Barnett,
I. and Gallegos, J. IDS, 2013
Mobile phones for nutrition surveillance
- lack of hard evidence on the impact
- mobile phones may make nutrition surveillance timelier
- mobile phones may improve data quality
- lack of comprehensive cost-effectiveness evaluations
- need more focus on analysis, visualisation + reporting data
- no evidence on the empowering effect
- technical, financial and ethical challenges
- sustainability and scale-up:
- government support + functioning healthcare system
+ strategic partnership private sector

13. Key factors for mNutrition success
 Country ownership + leadership
 Partnerships
 Coordination
 Standards / interoperability
 Financial sustainability + scale
 mNutrition strategies should
● fit into existing health + nutrition system functions
● Complement goals of nutrition service provision

14. Resources
mHealth Compendium, volume 3, USAID, 2013
mHealth innovations as health system strengthening tools: 12 common applications and a visual framework, Labrique
et.al., August 2013
Using Mobile Phones for Nutrition Surveillance: A Review of Evidence. Barnett, I. and Gallegos, J. IDS, 2013
Sustainable Financing for Mobile Health (mHealth): Options and opportunities for mHealth financial models in low and
middle-income countries, mHealth Aliiance, Vital Wave Consulting, 2013

15. mirjam.schaap@wur.nl
www.delicious.com/mirjamschaap
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www.delicious.com/mirjamschaap/mobile
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Mirjam Schaap