APLIC I 34th ANNUAL CONFERENCE

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APLIC - I 34th ANNUAL CONFERENCE Building the
2-Way Street Enabling Voices for the South
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Our Mission
SATELLIFE is committed to building healthier
communities in developing countries using the
power of information technology.
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• Started in 1987 by the International Physicians
  for the Prevention of Nuclear War
• In 1989 created HealthNet, a global electronic
  information and communications network for health
  professionals
• Pioneered basic store and forward e-mail
  computer nodes and local networks in developing
  countries
• Developed low-cost e-mail based access to
  high-quality health information, publications and
  discussion groups

History
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The Digital Divide and Information Poverty

• Contributing factors
• Poor telecommunications infrastructures
• High cost of telephone and Internet usage, as
  well as equipment
• High cost of journal subscriptions and medical
  literature.
• Unfavorable regulatory environments
• Insufficient technical and end user training

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The Digital Divide and Information Poverty

• The results
• Isolation of health workers Brain Drain
• Inability to access global knowledge
• Inability to share knowledge locally, nationally,
  or internationally
• Patients do not get the best possible care.

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SATELLIFE
Nepal
Eritrea Ethiopia Ghana Kenya Sudan Uganda Zimbabw
e
The HealthNet Sites
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Each HealthNet has evolved to meet local needs
and conditions.

• HealthNet Ethiopia
• Phone lines but no Internet.
• SATELLIFE calls 3-5 times a day via modem.
• Redistributes e-mail to over 50 sites.

• HealthNet Kenya
• Shared Internet account retrieves e-mail.
• Store and forward in-country.
• Operates a training centre.

• HealthNet Nepal
• Internet Service Provider for region.
• Offers full Web access and a wide range of
  information services.
• Offers many other services, including Web site
  hosting, training, computer networking, and
  Internet phone.

• HealthNet Haiti
• No phone lines.
• Connect using satellite ground station.
• Receive e-mail 4 -6 times a day.

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E-Mail
SATELLIFE Information Services
Electronic Publications
Global Electronic Conferences
GetWeb
AIDS Action
Global Database of Health Professionals
Health Action
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Lessons Learned from a Decade of Service
1.) The Technology Continuum 2.) Institutional
Capacity, Local Ownership 3.) Sustainability
Business Planning 4.) Training
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1. The Technology Continuum
SATELLITE
INTERNET
SATELLIFE
Ground Station
TELEPHONE HUB
LOCAL ISP
telephone hub
end users
end users
SATELLIFE and its HealthNet partners employ a
continuum of technologies to facilitate
communication and the exchange of information
among health professionals worldwide.
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2. Institutional Capacity and Local Ownership

• INDICATORS FOR SUCCESS
• Strong sense of local ownership
• Need for network recognized locally
• Clearly defined roles and responsibilities
• Healthy partnership between SATELLIFE and local
  entity
• Local champion

• IMPEDIMENTS TO SUCCESS
• Roles and responsibilities not clearly defined
• Insufficient funding
• No long-term plan
• No perceived value of network as a solution to
  local needs
• Poorly developed partnership between SATELLIFE
  and local entity
• No local champion

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3. Self-sustainability and Business Planning
HealthNets that have attained a high degree of
sustainability and financial independence from
SATELLIFE share many of these features sound
management business plan cost recovery
system marketing strategy qualified paid
staff customer service orientation
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4.Training
SATELLIFEs experience with the Regional
Information Technology Training Centre at
HealthNet Kenya demonstrated the huge demand for
computer training among health professionals.
Many HealthNet sites are making training a top
priority.
SATELLIFE also invests in technical training for
HealthNet System Operators.

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FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Technical upgrades
Increased marketing
Training
Rural Access
Multiple technologies
Evaluation
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30 California Street Watertown, MA 02472 USA
http//www.healthnet.org phone (617)
926-9400 fax [phone] e-mail
leela_at_usa.healthnet.org