Archived Newsroom • Press Release |
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ITU and Bupa to collaborate on m-Health initiative
Partnership supports ITU-WHO goal to combat non-communicable diseases using
mobile services
Geneva, 12 November 2013 – The International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) has signed a ground-breaking partnership agreement
with international healthcare company Bupa, to collaborate on a global
‘m-Health’ initiative called ‘Be Healthy, Be Mobile’. Bupa and ITU will
join forces to provide multidisciplinary expertise, health information and
mobile technology to fight chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including
diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular and chronic respiratory diseases, in low- and
middle-income countries. The programme is led by ITU and the World Health
Organization (WHO).
Welcoming the partnership, ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun I. Touré said:
“Non-communicable diseases are the single greatest factor contributing to
mortality and the overall disease burden in developed countries and emerging
economies alike. Where m-Health is concerned, ITU works with WHO to share our
long-standing experience and our competence in mobile technologies and
healthcare as well as our network of partners. We are truly excited about the
potential of this new partnership with Bupa to help us accelerate the adoption
of mobile health interventions worldwide.”
Bupa CEO Stuart Fletcher said: “Of the 36 million people who died from
chronic disease in 2008, nine million were under the age of 60; and 90 per cent
of these premature deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries. m-Health
is a cost-effective and accessible way to get health information and tools to
people so that they can keep well and we can reduce the impact of chronic
diseases worldwide. Through this partnership we will be at the heart of a
systemic intervention in healthcare and will help millions of people to live
longer, healthier, happier lives, fulfilling our purpose.”
Launched in October 2012, the “Be Healthy, Be Mobile” initiative
looks at developing best practices and bringing them to scale and is planned to
run for four years initially.
In its first phase, the initiative is focusing on deploying mobile health
interventions in areas such as diabetes, smoking cessation, hypertension,
wellness and training of health workers. More than 25 countries have already
expressed interest in participating. A smoking cessation programme via mobile
phones is currently underway in Costa Rica.
Bupa will contribute with expert knowledge, health information and innovative
technology to support the adoption of m-Health interventions by governments to
address prevention and treatment of NCDs and their common risk factors,
including tobacco use, diet, stress and physical inactivity.
For more information, please contact:
Sanjay Acharya
Chief, Media Relations and Public Information
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Jo Hudson
Senior Corporate Communications Manager
Bupa Corporate Affairs
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About ITU...
About Bupa
Bupa’s purpose is longer, healthier, happier lives. A
leading international healthcare group, we serve over 14m customers in more than
190 countries. We offer personal and company-financed health insurance and
medical subscription products, run hospitals, provide workplace health services,
home healthcare, health assessments and chronic disease management services.
We are also a major international provider of nursing and residential care for
elderly people. With no shareholders, we invest our profits to provide more and
better healthcare and fulfil our purpose.
Bupa employs more than 62,000 people, principally in the
UK, Australia, Spain, Poland, New Zealand and the USA, as well as Saudi Arabia,
Hong Kong, India, Thailand, China and across Latin America.
www.bupa.com.