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SMS for life featured on new BBC Health Series
A ground-breaking Tanzanian health program that uses mobile phone technology to help save lives is being showcased on BBC’s newest health series.
The 26-part BBC series reports from around the world, focusing on regions where people are vulnerable to specific health issues. It examines the latest scientific and technological advances and explores new medical insights into the biggest health challenges and dilemmas.
The “SMS for Life” program being highlighted out of Tanzania uses mobile phone networks to send information on life-saving health care products to more than 100,000 retailers, offering them financial rewards, obtaining marketing information and tracking product availability in real time.
The new system drastically improves the targeting of interventions and monitoring and evaluation, while at the same time boosting local economies and promoting trade at the retail level.
The Health Show was supported by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and aired on BBC World News on September 10 and 11, 2011 at 10:10 and 20:10, and Sundays at 07:10 and 23:10 (all times GMT).