1. A model for implementing sustainable mHealth applications in a resource‐constrained setting: A case of Malawi.
- Author
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Pankomera, Richard and Greunen, Darelle
- Subjects
MOBILE health ,HEALTH information technology ,CHILD health services ,HIV-positive children ,HEALTH practitioners ,SEMI-structured interviews - Abstract
The proliferation of mobile devices in a resource‐constrained setting like Malawi has created an enabling environment for the deployment of mobile health (mHealth) applications. These applications offer various services such as maternal and child health, nutrition, and HIV management in different localised places in Malawi. Unfortunately, most of these applications are pilot projects that are not centrally managed by the government. The downside of this approach is that most projects are not scaled up once they are completed. As a result, there is no continuity of the mHealth projects. Because of a lack of coordination, lessons learned from one projects are not propagated to other projects. The lack of sustainability of mHealth projects wastes a lot of resources. The comprehensive literature study and semistructured interviews in public health and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector in Malawi further highlighted the following challenges: poor infrastructure, lack of proper policy and regulation, lack of human skills and development, lack of financial resources, and poor ICT governance. Guiding policies were subsequently proposed to circumvent the aforementioned challenges. An ICT model is therefore proposed to effectively manage the sustainability of mHealth projects in Malawi. The proposed model has the following phases: solution requirement, strategy for project execution, implementation of the solution, and monitoring and evaluation. The model was further validated by 5 experts selected from different areas of expertise including mHealth application developers, ICT policymakers, and public health practitioners. Results show that the model is relevant, useful, and applicable within the setting of Malawi. It is therefore envisaged that the model can be used by policymakers, decision makers, and ICT implementers for the smooth utilisation of resources and the sustainability of mHealth applications in Malawi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
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