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Traditionally, efforts to address access gaps were must quantify the unique hurdles to be overcome
directed at deployment and improvement of and the resources and investment required to Chapter 5
telecommunication infrastructure – but only overcome them. Each country must develop
within access networks. Today, a more integrated, a comprehensive plan at the national level to
multi-sectoral approach is needed. Networks address its universal access gaps.
still have to be expanded to include broadband
capabilities, but a broader approach will stimulate In the health sector, for example, different
the development of content that is relevant in countries have adopted varied focus points in
context and language. This is the way to foster the the development of m-health applications, in
development of m-services and apps. response to the health needs of their populations.
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In some cases, the m-services and applications
National broadband plans can no longer call for are accessed through the Internet while in
deliverables within just the telecommunication others, it is through SMS. There are different
sector. The roll-out of mobile networks and categories of m-health services and apps,
broadband capacity needs to be seen in a holistic including data collection; disease surveillance;
way, looking beyond the ICT sector’s horizon, in treatment adherence reminders; emergency
order to include other actors in the broadband medical response systems; support to health care
ecosystem and allow them to contribute to professionals or rural health workers; supply chain
universal access. This will avoid vertical, “silo” management; health financing; disease prevention
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interventions and enable the identification of and health promotion. 30
where m-services and apps can plug in, in an
integrated and interoperable manner, with existing The continual review of universal access policies
systems and solutions. and mechanisms is necessary in order to establish
and maintain a universal service framework that
This holistic approach would include financing will achieve public policy objectives of availability,
mechanisms to accommodate local content affordability and accessibility of services in a fast-
development, application development, converging sector. Strategies to embed diverse
development of assistive technologies, incubation, innovative mechanisms, such as public-private
scaling and monetization. It would also prompt a partnerships and multi-stakeholder projects, in the
radical re-thinking around the nature of universal design of universal access policies will be crucial
service obligations imposed on service providers. for them to remain agile and responsive to ever-
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changing demands.
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The Broadband Commission has set ambitious
goals to make broadband access universal, in
order to drive prices down and make services 5.3.5 Pressure for resources
affordable. International commitments such
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as this prompt regulators to adopt urgency in Meanwhile, regulators must contend with growing
articulating an integrated, national approach. demand for the resources that underpin mobile
There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Each country

Box 5.4: “m-cessation” (m-health for smoking cessation)
A project was launched in Costa Rica in April 2013 to prevent smoking-related diseases such as
cancer and other lung diseases. Tobacco smoking had been recognized as a big problem in Costa
Rica, and many health costs were considered preventable if individuals would quit smoking.

The project included building and maintaining a database of mobile numbers based on
a registration process, creating tailor-made short messages and developing two-way
communication with smokers. A mechanism for feedback and reporting management was
established at the Ministry of Health to support the project.

Source: M-Powering Development Initiative

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