The annual ICT4D Conferences have proven to be an invaluable opportunity for NGOs, private sector organizations, universities, governmental agencies and foundations to share their experience in using ICT to increase the impact of development programs and to learn from each other. In 2016, 715 individuals from 76 countries and 301 private sector and public sector and civil society explored the ways to harness the full power of digital solutions to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Our thanks to Accenture, Catholic Relief Services, Esri, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, iMerit Technology Services, Inmarsat, IS Solutions, Making All Voices Count, Mercy Corps, Microsoft, NetHope, Oxfam, Pandexio, Qualcom Wireless Reach, RTI International, SimbaNet and World Vision for making that possible.
Family planning is the key to attaining the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Access to family planning and other health protection products and services is often hindered by a number of factors. These factors include financial barriers. Their situation is compounded by the high cost of travels to resupply products to such locations and the challenges associated with collection of payments for those products supplied. Majority of them are unbanked. These factors lead to stock out of commodities, which affects uptake of family planning and the general, health and wellbeing of the community members.
Mobile money (MM) service was introduced in Ghana in 2009.
HealthKeepers Network (HKN) uses a micro franchise system to distribute family planning (FP) and other health protection products to the rural and underserved communities through Community Based Distributors (CBDs). The CBDs are given training on Family Planning and Diarrhea Management to promote a healthy lifestyle and provide their peers with reliable access to comprehensive information on family planning and short-term FP products as well as other quality health protection products.
HKN's Mobile Money payment initiative (with funding support from USAID/NetHope Solutions) is to increase access to family planning and other health protection products to ensure healthy lives. The CBDs are trained on the benefits of Mobile Money system and how it can be used to make payments or receive payments for remittances, products and services.
