Page 12 - PR Communication Age January 2016

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mHEALTH
PREORDAINED
FOR RURAL
INDIA

M obile technologies are in- stands out as more robust and sustain- health programs can be improved by
creasingly growing in de- able option as compared to PC based using prompts and reminders through
veloping countries like In- telemedicine in remote rural villages in SMS and voice calls for the health
dia. There have been sev- India, with the increasing penetration workers.
eral new researches and developments and rising transmission capabilities of
in this breathing space. Nowadays mobile networks. Despite these promises, certain tech-
mobile is becoming an important tool nological and programmatic chal-
not only in urban regions but also in However, the technology becomes a lenges impede the adoption of
remote and rural areas. The rapid ad- powerful transformational tool if it is mHealth in a large scale across the
vancement in the technologies, ease of applied as an enabler of a synergistic health system. There are many areas
use and the falling costs of devices, system. Mobile technologies are an in- of research about mHealth future and
make the mobile an appropriate and formation transmission tool between development opportunities in health
adaptable device. Mobile technology rural patients and centrally located sector. Monitoring services will ac-
providers, using trained intermediaries count for 65% of the global mHealth
About the author as local facilitators. Developing coun- market by 2017.
tries have underlined multiple roles and
Dr. Saroj Hiremath effectiveness of mobile communica- mHealth is a component of eHealth.
HOD tions in the health sector. In particu- mHealth is defined as mHealth or mo-
lar, the delivery function of public bile health as medical and public health
S. P. College, Pune

“Public-relations specialists make flower arrangements of the facts, placing them so the wilted and less attractive
petals are hidden by sturdy blooms.”

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