How PDAs Are Saving Lives In Africa

Mark Goldberg writes "UN Dispatch, the United Nations affairs blog I write, just posted an item that may interest this community. Joel Selanikio, a medical doctor and technologist, writes to us from Zambia to relay how PDA devices are quietly revolutionizing public health services in sub-Saharan Africa. Selanikio runs a non-profit called DataDyne.org that trains local health officials to use PDAs equipped with an open source software tool to track outbreaks, coordinate vaccination efforts, and perform other vital public health tasks. So far, says Selanikio, the pilot program in Zambia has been a resounding success.

ICT4D, handheld solutions

[JosefAssad]

Shiny handheld frontends look nice on a project proposal, but in the field there's often very good reasons why they just don't work out the way they were expected to. In microfinance, handheld frontends are much talked about as a means of lowering transaction costs but in a research paper (probably from the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor [cgap.org], but I forget), the majority of such solutions failed to have any discernible impact on operations or on efficiency other than the disruption of rolling them out. I had made a comment on the sahana mailing list which summarizes my feelings:

• PDAs are not cheap
• PDAs are therefore (and for other reasons such as demand, or the lack of in developing nations) very far from ubiquitous.
• Break a PDA and it's an issue (replacement, management making a fuss and having to replace, yadda yadda; you know how it goes)
• PDAs require a certain level of sophistication to operate (yes, I know everything requires some training. But if you mishandle a PDA, you replace it. PAper is more redundant, and commodity PCs too)
• PDAs require an extra little bit of logistics; charging, synchronization facilities and schedules, etc.

I don't like pointing out problems without solutions. It might be a good idea to replicate the functionality of the PDAs as far as possible in paper, and then to have bulk entry facilities in Sahana. I know that PDAs are the optimal solution in terms of using technology the way it was supposed to, but situational realities can dictate otherwise.

I think it's dangerous to assume that the people who will be in control of the conduits through which the system acquires information are sophisticated to the extent that they can successfully handle a PDA, yet it is good design to have facilities for people who can.

And since we're looking at F/LOSS ICT4D projects, I can think of no more worthy a project than Mifos [mifos.org] (disclaimer, I was involved in this project): a shared open source microfinance platform in Java. Worth a look if you're a Java coder and would like to pitch in!

PDA application

[mysterious_mark]

I actually built a PDA application that is used for snow science, the data is collected in the field from various locations world wide on the PDA's and sent to our central DB (MySQL), see http://snowpilot.org/ [snowpilot.org] . Mark

Re:ICT4D, handheld solutions

[mysterious_mark]

I'd disagree with your assertion that PDA's aren't cheap, the Palm Zire retails for around $70. these days. These are robust and durable units, and we have deployed them extensively in the field, the BW screens are perfect for use outdoors. Also with the right software these units are easy to use and synch. We've had good luck on widely deploying the Palm Zire's for data collection, even on a non-profit budget, see http://snowpilot.org/ [snowpilot.org] Just my 2 cents. Mark

Re:ICT4D, handheld solutions

[jselani]

Hi Josef,

I'm the developer of EpiSurveyor. While we've had excellent results in the field with PDAs for almost ten years now, working with the American Red Cross, UNICEF, WHO, and many other organizations, we're now shifting from PDAs (ie, unconnected pocket computers) to cell phones (ie, connected pocket computers). Cell phones, as you may know, are rapidly spreading across the developing world: just about every health worker we come across already has one. I believe that before the end of the year we'll have a version of EpiSurveyor that runs on J2ME platforms. Keep an eye out for updates at www.datadyne.org

Best,

Joel Selanikio

Re:ICT4D, handheld solutions

[evilviper]

PDAs are not cheap

High-end iPaqs aren't cheap... You could put together a low-end PDA for $30, and it would have more than enough power to handle data entry, networking, etc. I still use my B&W 26MHz Psion5mx, and haven't felt the need to get anything higher-end. The dirt cheap "Osaris" works equally well.

Break a PDA and it's an issue (replacement, management making a fuss and having to replace, yadda yadda; you know how it goes)

I'd be more worried about the durability of paper than a PDA.

PDAs require an extra little bit of logistics; charging, synchronization facilities and schedules, etc.

Hardly an issue. Paper needs to be hauled into a central office... Much bigger logistics issues there.