Fighting HIV/AIDS by phone

Leading players in the mobile phone industry and the US Government have joined forces to fight HIV/AIDS and other health challenges in 10 African countries.

Phones for Health is a $10m public-private partnership, which brings together mobile phone operators, handset manufacturers and technology companies working in close collaboration with Ministries of Health, global health organisations and other partners. They plan to use the widespread and increasing mobile phone coverage in the developing world to strengthen health systems.

The Phones for Health partners - the GSM Association's Development Fund, the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Accenture Development Partnerships, Motorola, MTN and Voxiva - are initially focused on 10 African countries, building on an already successful deployment in Rwanda. The partnership is also likely to be extended further in Africa and Asia to address tuberculosis, malaria and other infectious diseases.