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eHealth in the Global South
Ramesh S. Krishnamurthy, Ph.D.
M.P.H.
Michael St. Louis, M.D.
Jay M. Bernhardt, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Introduction
There is a worldwide increase in the available
number of online communication channels where
users can access a variety of health-related
information. In many resource rich settings,
health-related new media programs, products,
and services that are customer-centered,
collaboration-rich, performance-driven, science-
based, are on the rise. Online health information
seeking behavior through internet-enabled
computing devices, mobile telephones with text
messaging and video viewing capabilities,
tagging, social networking, blogging, and eHealth
cards, are also becoming more prevalent. Many
public health agencies are embarking on utilizing
these communication channels to podcast health
messages and enable bloggers to discuss
various health topics. Use of text and video
messages between users and health care
organizations are also on the rise. For example,
in the United States, the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) is assisting
information developers to plan, design, and
implement communication channels to increase
public access to health information.
In the resource limited countries of the Global
South, both the challenges to implementing
eHealth and the opportunities for innovation are
abundant. The current trend of large scale use of
mobile cellular technologies in countries such as
Bangladesh, Rwanda, and Afghanistan, coupled
with the rise in internet service providers, is being
acknowledged by most Ministries of Health as a
positive step toward developing eHealth market
strategies. However, a combination of financial
and human capital with innovative approaches in
market penetration is needed to impact health
care, save lives, and increase quality of life.
eHealth in the Global South
eHealth is ready to take off in the Global South.
This new approach will afford countries in the
Global South t