Transcript PPTX - CRS Technical Resources

Saving lives
Real time reporting through SMS
INDIA
Deepti Pant
State Representative - CRS
March 30, 2011
ICT4 Development Conference
Lusaka, Zambia
Introduction
• Deepti Pant
• Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
• State Representative
Project:
Short message service
(SMS) to report key health indicators
Sector: Maternal & newborn health
Place: Northern India
Opportunity:
• Late/Under reporting of maternal &
Newborn deaths
• Limited access to sub-district level
data
Gorakhp
ur
Why ICT4D:
• Real time reporting
• Availability of updated data to managers for informed decision making
The Process
ASHA reporting
through SMS
Feedback
Collated information
from portal
Portal
Program managers
Analyzed data on
block trends, reasons
and places of death
Data analysis
ICT Solution
• Solution: Coded SMS program
• Hardware:
– Win2003 server, SMS Modem, cell phones at the field level
• Software:
– Frontline SMS, Web Server, Reports designed using ASP DotNet
• Vendor : In house development (Overseas Development Support Unit)
• Technological support:
– Program Development, Designing the report
• Staff support
– To train ASHAs on the codes and sending the text messages
– To analyze the received data on periodic basis and present it to the
relevant program personnel
Key Challenges
• ASHAs were inexperienced in using mobile phones
to send text messages
• Low literacy among ASHAs also posed a problem in
reporting
• All ASHAs do not possess mobile phones
• Reporting through mobile is an add on activities for
ASHAs
• Low buying in from Government stakeholders
C-FAARM Help Desk
James Campbell
Monitoring and Evaluation
Coordinator
March 30, 2011
ICT4 Development Conference
Lusaka, Zambia
Introduction
• James Campbell
• CRS Zambia Country Program
• Monitoring & Evaluation Coordinator
Project Background
•
Project: Zambia MYAP
•
Sector:
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Community Resiliency
•
Place:
Western Province in Zambia
•
Issue Addressed: Providing an opportunity for the community
to address implementation issues and/or provide technical support
and guidance
•
Why ICT4D:
-
Limited staffing to cover a vast area although there are a
number of dead zones
Most cost effective way to communicate with project staff
ICT Solution
•
Solution: Creation of a help desk to answer queries and
provide guidance to program beneficiaries
•
Hardware: Laptop, Modem, network connectivity, sim card
•
Software: Frontline SMS; a CRM system
•
Technological support: One programmer to modify the
off-the shelf CRM program
•
Staff support:
person(s) to manage the help desk;
Technical leads to address queries and issues;
Key Challenges
• Finding a suitable Customer Relations
Management (CRM) package;
• Finding a phone that is fully compatible
with Frontline SMS;
• Devising a system for the beneficiaries
with limited network coverage to
communicate with the help desk
Collecting Food Insecurity Data Using Mobile SMS
Technology: An Application of Household Hunger Scale
(WALA, Malawi)
Dr. Jayachandran V, Ph.D.
Head of Monitoring, Evaluation and Knowledge Management
ICT4 Development Conference
Lusaka, Zambia
March 30, 2011
Introduction
•
Project: WALA is a five year (2009-2014) Title-II program
targeting eight districts in southern Malawi.
•
Sector:
Maternal and child health, Livelihood (Ag. & NRM, Irrigation,
Agri-business, VSL); Safety net; Disaster risk reduction
•
•
•
Place: Malavi (ADD REGION/STATE)
Issue Addressed: (PLEASE ADD)
Why ICT4D: To monitor and analyze the data flow on a
monthly basis from remote locations
ICT Solution
•
Solution: Collecting food insecurity/shortage data using a modified
version of the Household Hunger Scale (HHS) developed by
FANTA
•
•
Hardware: Mobile SMS technology using Nokia 2690 models
Software: Java mobile software is used for developing the
application
•
Vendor: CRS Global IT Technical Support Unit based in Lucknow,
India
•
Technological Support: Develop SMS application, Setting up
server to receive SMS
•
Staff Support: Staff to monitor and analyze the data
Key Challenges
• Setting up of server using remote access due to
poor internet connectivity.
• Unavailability of equipments, such as modem
locally.
• Poor mobile networking in rural areas.
Overall - Lessons Learned
• Coded SMS technology can be used only for limited indicators
• Notification of receipt of messages to the senders is helpful
•
Quality of reporting through coded SMS technology needs
continuous support and handholding
• Dedicated staff to manage the project adds to the effectiveness
• Involvement of Government partners is very important for ownership
and continuity.
Adopting ICT4D will necessitate technological, personnel and process changes that
require careful management
Sustainability issues pertaining to the continuing operation and maintenance of ICT4D systems
need to be considered from the outset.
Sustainability
• Recurring operational and maintenance cost of
phones
• Contribution of mobile service providers as part
of their Corporate Social Responsibility.
• Buying in by the government system to adopt
this strategy for reporting and decision making
• Technical Support to government for managing
the program
Summary and Close
• Use of SMS has been successful in tracking few
indicators at a time.
• Results are yet to be seen in the two SMS pilot that
have been recently launched in Malawi and Zambia.
• Future plan is to pilot a program where the phones
can serve dual purpose
– Reporting indicators
– Using it as medium to share the messages on maternal and
child health
Thank You!