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The latest pilot scheme run by Vodafone and in partnership with big pharma goes to show that while we might take technology for granted, it can still be a simple and powerful solution to a life threatening problem.

By Louise Kelly on Dec 11, 2012

New figures from the media regulator Ofcom saw declines of over a billion in the volume of text messages sent in the UK this year. There is a similar trend in the US where volumes of texts have also dropped for the first time since their inception. Yet, a new partnership between GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Vodafone plans to harness this basic mobile functionality with an aim increase the proportion of children covered by vaccination in developing regions. ‘Simple’ technology that the Western world takes for granted could be the key to saving lives. 

No-one expected the brainchild of Finnish engineer Matti Makkonen to become as ubiquitous as it has done over the last two decades.  Yet, following the first text message (“Happy Christmas”) sent on December 3, 1992, an estimated eight trillion texts have been sent.

Currently four billion people worldwide use SMS (Short Message Service) to communicate with each other but now – for the first time on record – text messaging volumes have dropped. It would seem that in an age of modern technological advancements, the developed world has grown somewhat tired of the humble text message – but rather less so in the developing markets, where the use of SMS has been given a new purpose in life.   

The widespread use of mobile phones in Africa, in particular, has long been noted – and oft used to access banking facilities where the infrastructure for a branch presence might not be possible.  But this pervasive existing technology also offers an opportunity to overcome obstacles to universal vaccination throughcost-effective methods – a necessity considering the estimated figure of up to a fifth of children across the globe still not receiving basic inoculation.

We've previously reported on the SMS for Life initiative that was launched in 2009 and embraced across the Saharan desert.  Over a 21 week period, thissimple but effective public-private solution used mobile telephones, SMS messages and electronic mapping technology to support more efficient stock management; its end goal to improve access to essential medicines in sub-Saharan Africa. The roaring success of the pilot was further hailed for its simplicity in that the project was scalable and adaptable enough to support any required medication.

Copycat solutions were bound to follow; indeed, they are very much welcomed. As such, the recent announcement that a GSK/Vodafone team intend to embark upon an initial one-year pilot vaccination project in Mozambique is applauded, if predictable. The project aims to discern if basic mobile solutions can increase the number of children covered by vaccination against common infectious diseases in the country – the proportion increase target is an additional 5-10%. Supported by Save the Children and run in collaboration with the Mozambique Ministry of Health, the scheme aims to not only improve record keeping and enable better management of vaccine stock, but also assist in encouraging mothers to take up available vaccination services and provide support for health workers.

As part of the pilot project, which plans to expand across the continent if proven successful, caregivers will be registered on a Mozambique Ministry of Health database and informed by SMS to the importance of lifesaving vaccinations for children. Mothers will also be able to schedule vaccination appointments, will be alerted as to availability of same and will have notifications of vaccine history and any remaining required – all through text. On the other side of the coin, health workerswill be furnished withsmartphones with software allowing them view, record, schedule and accurately report based on the same information.