[kictanet] Of Vision 2030 and Misplaced Priorities

Fri Jun 3 14:38:47 EAT 2011

While in DFiD I  got involved in a project with WHO to help MOMS come up
with a eHealth strategy. Sad to have left without seeing the final document
but I basically came to question the level of buy in from government for
this. A couple of years ago an AfriHealth conference basically concluded
that there was a lot of silo working and ‘pilotitis’ in this field. 

It would be good to see whether the strategy was ever completed and
launched. I believe a lister led in drafting it. There is a lot that can be
done with IT in health if the will is there but you need the structures in
place first.

Victor

From: kictanet-bounces+vgathara=vimak.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke
[mailto:kictanet-bounces+vgathara=vimak.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On
Behalf Of Edith Adera
Sent: 02 June 2011 22:29
To: vgathara at vimak.co.ke
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Of Vision 2030 and Misplaced Priorities

Very sad indeed!

I was faced with the same problem in March and the poor lady died right
before our eyes - her relatives called me when it was too late and they did
not have a cent to take her to hospital, so they feared even going there
without money! I was surprised to learn that even Kenyatta hospital does not
take any patient without money!

                                    I was so sad to face the reality thatyou
can die justbecause you are poor and not because there's no treatment for
your illness.

                                    In his recent experience with cancer,
Hon. Anyang Nyongodrovethis point home! BUT - if a Minister for Health can
say this, what chance does a mere mortal have to live?

                                    There are many examples of eHealth
initiatives thathave saved lives e.g. Uganda Health information Network,
Mozambique Health Information Network,pulsa plus HIV/AIDs project in South
Africa using cellphones, cell life in South Africaetc

                                    Edith

                                    ________________ 

Edith Ofwona Adera 

Senior Program Specialist 

ICT4D Program and Climate Change & Water Program

International Development Research Centre | Centre de recherches pour le
développement international

Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa

Tel: +254202713160 | Fax/Téléc: +254202711063 | Skype: edithadera

eadera at idrc.or.ke |  <http://www.idrc.ca/> www.idrc.ca |
<http://www.crdi.ca/> www.crdi.ca

  _____  

From: kictanet-bounces+eadera=idrc.or.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke
[kictanet-bounces+eadera=idrc.or.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of
Barrack Otieno [otieno.barrack at gmail.com]
Sent: 02 June 2011 13:22
To: Edith Adera
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject: [kictanet] Of Vision 2030 and Misplaced Priorities

Dear Listers,

I wonder whether i have used the right title for this post. I have had an
interesting month and i thought i should share some of my experiences from
the Bundus and the City as well. Three weeks ago i visit Ebuyangu Village
somewhere between Gem and Emuhaya to look for my childhood football coach,
while combing the area i meet one resident by the name Harambee who
gleefully agrees to help me find my former coach. I asked him some of the
challenges they are facing and was taken aback by his answer 'Watu wanakufa
sana, sijui ni nini' (Translated There are too many deaths, i don't know
what is happening) I tried squeezing more information from him and realised
the problem is Malaria and waterbone diseases (of course there is River Yala
in the hood), it is common knowledge that this are Malaria prone areas and
many of us who hail from the region take preventive measures before
travelling but it appears this information is simply not readily available
to the villages, how can we prevent this unnecessary and avoidable deaths
through ICT? do we have developement partners and or government agencies
prepared to invest in e-health initiatives that will reverse this trends? or
better still are all this noble initiatives and flagship projects targeting
Nairobians (where the real Kenya is?) no wonder everyone is fleeing the
countryside to be close to the city, we might end up building Malili
Technolopolis and lack customers for the same as has been the case in the
past, it is good we are boasting and fighting about Mobile money, 3G and the
rest which is good but i guess the greatest wealth a nation can ever have
are healthy citizens.

On 1st of June i find myself in another weird situation involving health
facilities we have an emergency case which several health Facilities say
they cannot handle but instead of advising on what we should do they advise
us to run around and look for options, the saddest bit is this are respected
health facilities that have 'professional' Doctors and Nurses, to cut the
long story, proffessionals hoarding information on what we should do so that
we can do something (what a shame on this great republic), i was left
wondering where does the poor man go, he may as well just die in his little
hut because he doesn't know what to do. When i looked at the bill and
compared it to the service rendered your guess is as good as mine.

I wonder whether its a high time we channeled the same effort and investment
we have made in Mobile Money, BPOs and Fibre into Electronic Health, anyone
with successfull case studies to start us off, othewise we might all be
swept away by an epidemic before we Vision 2030 materialises.

-- 
Barrack O. Otieno 

Afriregister Ltd (Kenya)

www.afrire <http://www.afriregister.com> gister.bi, www.afriregister.com
<http://www.afriergister.com> 

ICANN accredited registrar
+254721325277

+254-20-2498789
Skype: barrack.otieno

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