MOBILE  communication experts and their counter parts from the health sector are set to converge on Accra, Ghana, in December to discuss appropriate and timely solutions to Africa’s pressing health problems through the use of mobile devices.

According to Mr Akin Naphtal, the conference co-director, the summit being put together by MobileWorld and the Anadach Group will specifically  explore the use of mobile technologies to improve access to quality health care.

“This is expected to be of a particular advantage to underserved populations and professional involved in health research, training and education applications in Africa,” said Mr. Naphtal.

Mobile phones have the ability to revolutionize several components of the health delivery system, including collecting clinical and community health data, monitoring patient vital  signs in real-time, augmenting the direct provision of care by linking health care workers to patients, delivering healthcare information to practitioners, researchers, and patients as well as addressing supply chain management problems.

They could also play a significant role in health financing systems, including authentication of health insurance subscribers, monitoring of health benefits and paying for health services and products.

Mr Naphtal said the mHealth Africa Summit presented an opportunity to bring together interested parties from around the world working in the health care and associated sectors to exchange ideas, discuss innovative solutions, explore scalability and sustainability of successful pilots, and develop collaborations in Africa.

“It is an opportunity for all stakeholders to come together and channel key implementation of mHealth deployment in Africa.”

“It is the precise time to put more focus on the growth of mHealth in Africa. With that fact, mobile is perhaps the fastest and cost effective and interactive way to reach the rural areas in terms of health delivery,” explained Dr Egbe Osifo-Dawodu, founding partner Anadach Group.

“For health and ICT entrepreneurs, the new platform creates an opportunity to develop innovative ideas that address existing problems or create new solutions to improve healthcare.

“Most African countries are not on track to meet the UN’s Millennium Development Goals so the need for innovation has never been greater,” Dr  Alade, the conference co-director asserted.

Speakers at the conference will include; Hon.Prof. Peter Nyongo, the Kenya Minister for Medical Services who will also be the special guest, Brooke Partridge, CEO and founder, Vital Wave Consulting, USA, Bas Hoefman, Founder and Director, Text to Change, Holland Dr Ashifi Gogo, Sproxil, Nigeria,  Mr Tunde Fafunwa, Senior Partner Kitskoo, Phillipines, Mr Piers Bocock, Senior Director, Management Sciences for Health, USA,, Ruchi Dass, Wireless Healthcare, E-health and Healthcare IT Champion, Bright Simons, CEO, mPedigree, Ghana;  among others.