Center for Health Market Innovations (CHMI)

Programs

Mashavu: Networked Health Solutions for the Developing World

last updated Feb 14, 2012

Overview

Implementing organization: 
Pennsylvania State University, Child and Youth Empowerment Centre (CYEC)
Legal Status: 
Private (not-for-profit)
Year Launched: 
2008
Stage: 
Pilot/startup stage
Income Level of Target Population: 
All income levels

Funding

Funders: 
Ideablob.com

Technology

Technology Used: 
Computer › Internet, Phones › SMS/MMS (Text Message)
Technology Purpose: 
Improving Data Management › Data Collection, Extending Geographic Access
Summary: 

Mashavu (which means ‘chubby-cheeked’ in Swahili) is a computer-based system that enables doctors to connect with children in developing countries via mobile phones.

Program goals/rationale: 

Lack of sustained, regular care for children is often responsible for the spread of preventable diseases in the developing world. The ‘Mashavu: Networked Health Solutions for the Developing World’ project was initiated by students at Pennsylvania State University to tackle this challenge through mobile solutions.

Key program components: 

Essential medical data (e.g., height, weight, blood pressure, and lung capacity) are collected at Mashavu stations in developing communities by trained operators and sent by mobile phone to a remote server. Medical professionals can then ‘electronically adopt’ children by logging on to a web portal to monitor the children’s health, provide feedback or advice to the child’s caregivers, and collect health statistics. The project is a laptop-based system designed to use the existing cell phone infrastructure.

The student team from Pennsylvania State University is working with the Mount Meru Peak School and Good Hope orphanage in northern Tanzania to pilot test the system.

Additional Information

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