Good series on “The Value of Health: Creating Economic Security in the Developing World” from @disruptivewomen [link to post]

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My new favorite blog? [link to post] Keep up the good work, @disruptivewomen!

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RT @africastrategy: RT @HealthCompare: Solutions to Poor Health in Developing Countries [link to post] //good to see discussion

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RT @HealthCompare: Solutions to Poor Health in Developing Countries [link to post] //good to see discussion

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As an African, I recognize many of the issues you raise. Healthcare is a challenge. Many of the stereotypes around Africa would have us believe those challenges have rendered the continent incapable of rising above the disease and pestilence. In some cases this is true, but in others Africa is developing innovative solutions and strategies to cope.

One thing I have learned from how Africa tackles some of its problems is through taking a small scale solution and replicating it within a similar model structure. Scaling horizontally verses scaling through size. Small, community driven solutions, based upon local culture, norms, values and most importantly available resources work because they are relevant and contextual. Taking the best practices and replicating the ones that are relevant, while adjusting the ones that are not provides workable solutions. Scaling in size through a centralized body often looses many of the very things that makes a system work. The West loves to automate and scale.

There are some exciting medical care solutions coming out of Africa, some of them have implications for how the rest of the world will look at healthcare. The use of systems like Frontlinesms:Medic http://medic.frontlinesms.com/ have transformed communities and empowered medical practitioners in Africa. This success has translated into the system spreading to other parts of the world, not just the developing world but the First World too.

Thank you for highlighting the problems that Africa faces. Africa is in desperate need of partnership, assistance, training and understanding. It is exciting that Africa too, has the ability to teach the world a few things too.

RT @HealthCompare: Solutions to Poor Health in Developing Countries [link to post]

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Solutions to Poor Health in Developing Countries [link to post]

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