PROPOSAL FOR FREE WIFI AS
A FACILITATING MECHANISM TO IMPROVE
HEALTHCARE AND SERVICES
Free WiFi For Africa NPC, trading as Project Isizwe
NPO Registration 133-371 NPO
156 DORP STREET, STELLENBOSCH, 7600, SOUTH AFRICA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................ 3 THE CONSTITUTION AND THE RIGHT TO HEALTHCARE ................................................ 4 THE BENEFITS OF CONNECTIVITY .................................................................................... 5 MANDATE OF GOVERNMENT ............................................................................................. 5 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH STRATEGIC GOALS .............................................................. 6 HOW CAN THE THREE SPHERES OF GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTE TO IMPROVED
HEALTHCARE? ..................................................................................................................... 6 WHAT ROLE CAN FREE WIFI PLAY TO SUPPORT IMPROVED HEALTHCARE? ............ 9 2
OVERVIEW
Section 28 of the Constitution of South Africa states that every child must have access to
basic healthcare services.
In a country as large and diverse as South Africa, the only way to make this a reality is via
the provision of free Internet access in rural communities so that these citizens may access
online healthcare information, doctors, and general advice.
Deloite (2014:2) has done extensive research on the value of connectivity and found that
many governments acknowledge the role of internet access in enabling economic activity
and social developments and have adopted extensive strategies to promote investment in
internet access, such as the National Broadband Plan in the USA and the Digital Agenda in
Europe. “The rest of the world has embraced innovations such as social media, search
engines and online marketplaces and the convergence of these platforms with nearly all
existing activities have permeated society and impacted productivity, economic growth and
business creation. These platform have also changed the way in which public services,
healthcare and education are provided and shared.”1
The President stated in 2014 that “We are currently working hard to bring into operation the
National Health Service, a preventative health scheme that will ensure that quality
healthcare is available to all regardless of economic or financial means.” The President also
stated in the 2015 State of the Nation address the importance of connectivity as a growth
enabler. In today’s fast-paced, digital world, the average South African is at a disadvantage,
due to a lack of access to the Internet. There is an enormous amount of services, including
health services and information, accessible via the Internet that supports informal learning,
social inclusion and economic development that they are excluded from. Free Internet Zones
(FIZ) offer a mechanism to improve public services, healthcare and education,
1 Deloite, The value of connectivity, 2014:2 3
Each FIZ will offer a WiFi hotspot, covering open public spaces that will allow professionals
(doctors and trained staff) to engage with remote caretakers or even patients in employing
the development of new approaches to healthcare, remote diagnosis and treatment options
to rural and poorer community members
THE CONSTITUTION AND THE RIGHT TO HEALTHCARE
According to Section 27 (2) of the Constitution2, the State is obliged to respect, protect,
promote and fulfil all the rights in the Bill of Rights. According to the article, Right to HealthPeriod: 2000-March 2002 accessed on 14 March 2015, 3 the obligation to respect this right,
obliges the State to refrain from denying or limiting access to healthcare services.
2 The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996 3 www.sahrc.org.za/home/21/files/Reports/4th_esr_chap_4.pdf accessed on 14 March 2015 4
THE BENEFITS OF CONNECTIVITY
The benefits of the Internet are of greatest value to those living in rural areas, and yet these
same citizens suffer from the slowest speeds and highest prices.
•
HEALTHCARE: Access to healthcare and services via the internet provides healthcare
specialists and those in need to engage with practitioners for the opportunity to prediagnose and agree on emergency treatment regimes.
•
Prevention, monitoring, awareness
The well-documented consequences of Internet access are as follows:
MANDATE OF GOVERNMENT
According to the SALGA LED handbook for Councillors, the National Planning Commission
found the key social, economic and political challenges facing South Africa
1. Too few South Africans are employed-high unemployment contributes to widespread
poverty. Only 41% of South Africans between the ages of 18 and 60 work. International
norms are closer to 66%.
2. Quality of education for poor black South Africans is low. School enrolment, numeracy
and literacy scores are extremely low compared to international standards.
3. South Africa’s growth path is highly resource-intensive and hence unsustainable.
4. Poorly located and inadequate infrastructure limits social inclusion and faster economic
growth.
5. Spatial challenges continue to marginalize the poor.
6. The ailing public health system is confronted by a massive disease burden.
7. The performance by the public service is uneven.
8. Corruption undermines state legitimacy and service delivery.
9. South Africa remains a divided society.
5
According to the report, the challenges of high unemployment and quality of education are
“the most pressing”. The role that Local Government can play in LED will alleviate some of
these challenges by creating a climate of growth and opportunity.4
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH STRATEGIC GOALS
The Department of Health’s 2014-2019 strategic goals are as follows:
1. Prevent disease, reduce its burden and promote health
2. Develop National Health Insurance scheme and improve readiness of facilities for
implementation
3. Reengineer primary healthcare by increasing number of ward-based outreach teams,
contracting general practitioners and expanding school healthcare services
4. Improve health facility planning
5. Improve financial management
6. Develop efficient health management information system
7. Improve quality of care
8. Improve human resources for health by ensuring adequate training and
accountability
HOW CAN THE THREE SPHERES OF GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTE
TO IMPROVED HEALTHCARE?
The deployment of Free WiFi networks addresses the above goals as follows:
1. Prevent disease, reduce its burden and promote health
Free WiFi allows for access to online health information resources, empowering
citizens to educate themselves in prevention and treatment, and generally improve
health.
4 SA LED Network, SALGA, 2014:9
6
2. Develop National Health Insurance scheme and improve readiness of facilities
for implementation
Free WiFi allows for education of citizens via the Internet on how the NHI will work,
as well as provide a virtual channel for training and educating health workers in rural
areas on the implementation of the NHI.
3. Reengineer primary healthcare by increasing number of ward-based outreach
teams, contracting general practitioners and expanding school healthcare
services
Many citizens of South Africa live in areas that are remote and difficult to access.
Recruiting trained staff to work in these areas is difficult. Free WiFi allows for general
practitioners based in urban areas to consult and assist using online tools (both text
and video), thereby allowing for rural citizens to have access to the highest quality
healthcare possible without having to relocate professionals to such areas.
4. Improve health facility planning
Development of norms and standards can be facilitated by feedback from citizens
gathered via Free WiFi networks. The effectiveness of implementation can further be
monitored via citizen feedback applications on the Internet.
5. Improve financial management
Free WiFi means greater access to government information, transparency and trust.
This will result in better financial management and efficiencies within the
procurement process.
6. Develop efficient health management information system
Free WiFi allows for online Internet applications whereby citizens can provide realtime input and feedback on gaps in the healthcare system and suggest possible
improvements. Furthermore, citizens can update their personal data on the national
healthcare information systems using Free WiFi in their area.
7. Improve quality of care
Free WiFi allows for feedback from citizens in the development of norms and
standards that improve quality of care.
7
8. Improve human resources for health by ensuring adequate training and
accountability
Online training resources for healthcare workers can be made available via Free WiFi
networks, thereby minimising the need for on-site training sessions and allowing
workers to self-educate in their own time. Furthermore, patients can use Free WiFi
networks to rate workers in their localities, thereby providing for accountability in the
system.
Mortality rates and inicidence of disease drop as a result of monitoring, education and prevention HEALTHCARE IMPROVE 1. By providing access to the internet, health conditions will be improved by reducing the
incidence of diseases through better education and information for both practitioners and
patients
2. The internet has the potential to improve medical behaviors for patients and healthcare
professionals as the delivery of medical services.
3. The internet provides a route through which to improve awareness of diseases and provide
information on health treatments. A number of free mobile-based and web-based applications
exist in developing countries that provide information related to nutrition, hygiene and prevention
of common illnesses. Evidence on the link between health literacy and mortality rates suggests
that access to the internet has the potential to save nearly 2.5 million lives across the regions
covered by this study, if they were to achieve the level of internet penetration seen in developed
economies. In particular, Deloitte estimates that improved health information to expecting
mothers and health workers could lead to a reduction in child mortality, saving 250,000
children who may otherwise have died during their first year of life. 5
5 Deloite, The value of connectivity, 2014:4 8
WHAT ROLE CAN FREE WIFI PLAY TO SUPPORT IMPROVED HEALTHCARE?
According Deloitte “The findings suggest that if developing countries could bridge the gap in internet
penetration to reach levels developed economies enjoy today, they would experience large increases
in GDP growth and productivity and improvements in health conditions and education
opportunities. Beyond the benefits that the internet is already bringing, this provides a clear potential to
reduce poverty and promote long run economic and social development.” 6
Project Isizwe, a Non-Profit Organisation came up with an innovative solution to offer free
WiFi as a basic service which will allow for the internet access embarked on by the three
spheres of government. Project Isizwe and its approach to facilitate the establishment of
Free Internet Zones is detailed in the accompanying information. A partnership with Isizwe
will result in increased levels of connectivity, affordable WiFi and the envisaged outcomes of
improved healthcare as an NDP objective and Constitutional imperative.
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6 Deloite, The value of connectivity, 2014:5 9