Cell Phones Latest Tool to Beat HIV/AIDS in Africa

Cell phones should play an increasing role in delivering HIV/AIDS-related health services in Africa, UNAIDS chief Michel Sidibe said during a recent trip to Nigeria.

The continent's numerous economic, political, and social challenges demand creative approaches to dealing with HIV/AIDS, said Sidibe. Despite the resources that have flowed to sub-Saharan Africa to combat the epidemic, the region continues to account for 67 percent of global HIV infections, UNAIDS data show.

"I don't think in any of our African countries we will be able to wait to have professionals, or to have enough of those people" in place in health infrastructures to adequately address HIV/AIDS, said Sidibe. "You can talk about different policies, about capacity building, but you can't beat this kind of epidemic with facility-based approaches only," he said. "It is time to reinforce our capacity to use the modern technology differently."

Africa has some of the highest numbers for cell phone access and should take advantage of that technology, Sidibe noted. For example, Nigeria has more than 70 million cell phone subscribers, roughly one phone for every two people. A pilot project underway in the country's northern Kaduna and southwestern Ondo states has trained village workers to identify symptoms of illness. They then use their mobile phones to call medical workers at a major center to get diagnoses and prescriptions dictated over the phone.

"Using all these types of approaches can help us improve information systems and expand delivery by reaching the poor in the community," said Sidibe.

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