A report by GSMA, a global association of mobile operators, released Wednesday indicates mobile operators are the major force behind the improved healthcare worldwide.
The report that provides a market evaluation framework for operators to assess the opportunities and challenges in this broader market said the mobile operators have improved access, reach and quality of healthcare globally.
Chris Locke, Managing Director, GSMA Development Fund, said operators have evolved and are best placed to deliver the solutions addressing the issues that the global healthcare industry faces, by lowering costs and making healthcare more accessible.
GSMA projected mHealth market to reach an estimated value of US$23 billion by 2017 attributing the rise to increased demand from patients for services outside traditional healthcare settings, which has increased demand for mHealth.
The report further stated leading mobile operators are expanding beyond their core capabilities in consumer voice and data, to global business integration capabilities.
The mobile operators have reportedly been developing their systems to cloud-based medical records and imaging as well as in the provision of health information exchanges. This larger eHealth market is estimated to be worth up to USD$160 billion in 2015, reported SpyGhana.
The healthcare industry, according to the report, currently undergoes a fundamental shift as demand from patients for services outside hospitals and clinics increases. This as a result drives increased demand for mHealth services.
Speaking in Nairobi at the Open innovation Africa Summit (OIAS), Kenya’s ministry of information and communication permanent secretary Dr.Bitange Ndemo said Africa has not done enough in the field of mHealth.
Ndemo said while a great step has been achieved in mobile financial inclusion, the field of mHealth and other sectors that mobile technology can be applied to, remains underutilized in Africa.
The report is part of the GSMA’s Pan-African Health Initiative to drive collaboration efforts between mobile operators and the public/private sector to increase access to underserved communities.
The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide that spans more than 220 countries. It unites nearly 800 of the world’s mobile operators, as well as more than 200 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem.
