How Kenyans Are Embracing Mobile Technology to Access Healthcare
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
It is estimated that more than half of Kenya’s population earning less than $2.50 (£1.73) per day has access to mobile phones. Kenya’s remarkable growth in mobile technology has led to a digital revolution that can address one of the country’s biggest development priorities – access to universal health coverage.
In Kenya, 22 million people pay out of pocket for private healthcare, and access to these services remains a major concern for those living at the bottom of the economic pyramid (BoP), especially in remote rural areas.
Inclusive business models, which aim to include poor people throughout companies’ value chains, are providing a wide spectrum of healthcare services for those at the BoP, ranging from accessible health insurance to primary healthcare, facilitated by new technologies such as mobile money platforms.
According to a recent publication (pdf) commissioned by the Business Call to Action (BCtA), a global advocacy platform for inclusive business, mobile money technology can offer a wide array of benefits for the health sector, ranging from improved efficiency and financial accountability for businesses to increased access to healthcare financing for consumers – especially those at the BoP.
Source: The Guardian (link opens in a new window)
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