ICTworks

Check out this 5-year, $100 Million RFA released by USAID, “Malawi Support for Integrated Service Delivery.”

Reading this RFA I couldn’t help but think about recent Technology Salons that showcased how SMS text messaging can empower healthcare implementers and patient beneficiaries to communicate better and faster, and an earlier Salon with Baobab Health about healthcare in Malawi:

1. Clear Mobile Phone Advantages in Development
2. SMS4D: Text Messaging to Increase Impact
3. Four Key Themes in Improving Patient Care with ICT

Now with those Salons in mind, I’m struck by how SMS technologies could add sizzle to this proposal by vastly increasing patient care, compliance, and results.

As we’ve seen with ChildCount+, text messages are an effective way to survey family health and report indicators of disease and solutions like HappyPill can increase drug compliance.  In Malawi, SMS:Medic has already showed impressive mHealth results and Baobab Health would be a great local partner. They’re managing several health facilities and providing eHealth solutions to the Ministry of Health in Malawi.

So while the RFA doesn’t explicitly mention mHealth or even eHealth, either could be the winning advantage for a proposer and a great example of how Technology Salons can inspire innovative proposals for USAID.

Reasons enough that if you’re in Washington, DC, you should join us at the next Salon.