Vodafone partners with GSK, GAVI to use, study mobile technology to improve vaccination rates

"British mobile phone group Vodafone and drug maker GlaxoSmithKline are joining forces on a novel project to increase childhood vaccination rates in Mozambique using text messaging," Reuters reports. With the aim of increasing the proportion of children covered by vaccination by five to 10 percent, a one-year pilot project supported by Save the Children "will register mothers on a ministry of health database, alert them to the availability of vaccinations and allow them to schedule appointments by text," the news agency notes. In addition, a three-year partnership between Vodafone and the GAVI Alliance, supported by the British government, will "study how health ministries across sub-Saharan Africa can use mobile technology to improve their immunization programs," Reuters notes, adding, "Britain will match Vodafone's contribution of technology and services with a $1.5 million cash contribution to GAVI" (12/10).