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Health Innovations: From Motorcycle Pharmacies to Open-Source Medical Software

Monday, 17 June 2013, 4:00 p.m., Room Aeltestenrat

SITTWE MYANMAR - MAY 4: A Burmese Rohingya girl gets a blood sample given to test for malaria at special clinic for malaria on May 4, 2009 in Sittwe, Arakan state, Myanmar (Burma). The majority of the patients treated belong to the Rohingya Muslim minority who live in Muslim neighborhoods in Sittwe. The situation of Rohingyas in Arakan has become worse after the international media began highlighting since December 2008 the Rohingya boat peoples' plight who are subject to severe restrictions of movement by the government, religious persecution, and extortion. The Rohingya are physically, linguistically and culturally similar to South Asians, especially Chittagonian people from Bangladesh. The Burmese government spends only 0.3% of the gross domestic product on health, the lowest amount worldwide, according to the United Nations Development Program 2008 survey (UNDP). Malaria, a disease that is relatively easy to treat is one of the number one killers in Burma due to a lack of good and affordable diagnosis and drugs. At a clinic, in the capitol city of Arakan state run by an aid organization, over 220,000 cases of malaria were treated over the last year with the number of cases doubling in the monsoon season. Many low income people living in the poverty-stricken rural areas can't even afford to have a meal in a day. The poor suffers the most in Burma since they can't afford to pay for healthcare. (Photo Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)
Image: Getty Images

Hosted by Development Policy Forum of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit

Only healthy and strong people can contribute to economic growth. If life expectancy extends beyond the age of 30, they can look forward to full and productive lives and their societies will have a future. Too often, however, health care in developing countries is quite poor. Sometimes even the most basic necessities are lacking. In remote rural regions the situation is particularly dire.

Creative solutions are needed. Not only governments can take action; companies can also improve the lives of the poor with good business models. Sometimes, very simple ideas, or ones that seem inconceivable in industrial nations, deliver good outcomes for the disadvantaged.

Mobile health camps are publicizing life-saving campaigns. Motorcycle pharmacies are reaching the most remote villages. E-learning opportunities are educating midwives and doctors. Modern technology has been a big factor as well, enabling for example text messaging of lab reports, mail networking systems for doctors and open-source software to register patient records.

This panel will present and discuss effective initiatives and ideas around different parts of the world.

Moderation:

Verfuerth, Eva-Maria
Freelance Journalist and PR Consultant, Frankfurt, Germany

Panelists:

Haupt, Solveig
Consultant on Global Health, Berlin, Germany

Marcelo, Alvin
Senior Vice-President and Chief Information Officer, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, Manila, Philippines

Complete session on soundcloud:
WS15 - Health Innovations - From Motorcycle Pharmacies to Open - Source Medical Software