This document discusses how mobile technologies can help manage and monitor HIV/AIDS. It begins by asking how ICTs like cell phones, TV and the internet can assist in the fight against HIV/AIDS while ensuring mobile healthcare is not just hype. It then outlines opportunities for using the internet and mobile phones to spread HIV/AIDS information through websites, chatrooms, text messages and mobile applications. The document also discusses the developed ICT landscape in South Africa and potential partnerships and quick win interventions using social media and mobile health tools to share information about HIV/AIDS management and prevention.

1. Mobile
Technologies
for
the
Management
and
Monitoring
of
HIV
and
AIDS
Prof
Darelle
van
Greunen
School
of
ICT
Nelson
Mandela
Metropolitan
University

2. Purpose
of
this
Presenta?on
How
can
ICTs
be
taken
onboard
to
assist
with
the
fight
against
HIV/AIDS?
How
can
we
be
sure
that
mobile
healthcare
(mHealth)
is
not
just
technology-­‐driven
hype?

3. Taking
ICT
on
board
• HIV/AIDS
informaJon
should
be
found
everywhere
– radio,
cell
phone,
TV
and
internet.
• ICTs
make
HIV/AIDS
informaJon
easily
accessible,
confidenJal
and
user
friendly.
• ICTs
have
become
more
and
more
accessible
to
everyone
including
the
rural
communiJes.

4. The
South
African
Landscape
• Largest
on
African
conJnent
in
terms
of
revenue
and
customers
of
ICT
market.
• Telecomms
well
developed
with
a
range
of
transmission
media.
• 98%
mobile
penetraJon,
4th
largest
mobile
communicaJon
market
in
the
world
(2011).
• High
internet
penetraJon.
• ICT
market
forecasted
to
grow
11.3%
p.a.

5. Why
is
it
not
happening?
• Lack
of
awareness
from
management
level
and
the
rural
communiJes
in
understanding
the
potenJal
impacts
that
ICT
can
have.
• People
are
stuck
in
their
ways
and
it
will
require
a
paradigm
shiX
to
move
away
from
an
industrial
thinking
to
an
informaJon
technology-­‐thinking
paYern.

6. Opportuni?es:
WWW
• InformaJon
and
data
from
all
over
the
world
is
available
through
the
internet.
• MeeJngs,
conferences,
workshops,
seminars
and
trainings
on
HIV/
AIDS
are
mainly
announced
through
the
different
web-­‐pages
that
deal
with
issues
of
HIV/
AIDS.
• There
are
also
chat
pages
available
for
youths
interested
in
talking
and
discussing
their
views
and
fears
about
the
disease.

7. Opportuni?es:
Mobile
• The
example
of
Kenya
– One
World
has
launched
a
service
using
text
messages
whereby
people
can
text
quesJons
regarding
HIV/AIDS
to
a
special
number
and
receives
a
reply.
– Daily
Jps
are
also
sent
to
mobile
subscribers
detailing
how
to
prevent
and
deal
with
infecJon.
– InformaJon
is
available
in
both
English
and
Kiswahili
languages
that
are
the
most
commonly
used.

8. Mobile
Health
Tools
• Mobile
tools
support
the
viewing,
receiving,
and/or
sending
informaJon
to
and
from
cellular
phones
and
other
wireless
devices.
• Encompasses
many
things
-­‐
the
mobile
web,
mobile
applicaJons,
and
text
messaging.
• Mobile
health
tools
can
help
paJents
set
up
medicaJon
and
medical
appointment
reminders
and
receive
these
reminders
through
email
or
Short
Message
Service
(SMS)/text
messages.
• Various
mobile
health
applicaJons
or
“apps”
for
iPhones/Smartphones
also
support
healthcare
management.

10. Opportuni?es
• ICT
intervenJons
in
South
Africa
– Primarily
pilot
projects
– Limited
number
• NaJonal
e-­‐Health
Strategy
• Strategic
Health
InnovaJon
Partnerships
(SHIP)
– Focus
on
medical
devices
– Specific
focus
on
HIV
and
TB
• Inter-­‐insJtuJonal
collaboraJon
across
disciplines

11. The
future
• CollaboraJve
partnerships
across
disciplines
• C a p i t a l i z e
o n
k n o w l e d g e
o f
m o b i l e
applicaJons
on
African
conJnent
• Quick
win
intervenJons
– Social
network
sites
– Blogs
– Mobile
health
tools/applicaJons
– Pod
casts
– Short
video
clips
on
phones

12. Thank
you
for
your
aHen?on.
Contact:
Darelle.vanGreunen@nmmu.ac.za