Across Africa, 6 countries boast mobile penetration rates in excess of 100 percent. Cognisant of the fact that only one Mobile Operator (MNO) across the African continent has 100 percent market share (Ethiopia)^[1], it stands to reason that leveraging the reach of mobile penetration to impact public healthcare and universal access will rely on collaboration between MNOs.

In addition, MNOs are being challenged to move away from the delivery of traditional voice, SMS, connectivity and infrastructure. With the exponential growth in M4D initiatives and the plethora of content, products and services being pushed onto MNOs, it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to navigate these disruptive new industries. The unfortunate result is further fragmentation of services with often times non standardised end points being tested, conflicting messages and services being pushed onto the end user and ultimately, reduced potential to impact universal access.

Apart from collaboration amongst MNOs, it’s also essential for health stakeholders (government and private healthcare providers) to formulate a more unified ask and engagement strategy for mobile stakeholders: health initiatives can be leveraged and barriers to scale reduced through these stakeholders actively leading mHealth service delivery. This will ensure that services are driven by customer or patient needs and aligned to national health strategies, rather than being pushed onto the market by technology providers.

To achieve scale, collaboration is the defining catalyst to the industry: Healthcare stakeholders need to drive service development and integration into current interventions; and mobile stakeholders need to contribute key assets such as experience in large volume, low margin businesses, technology and connectivity and significant reach into rural population groups. Realising these collaborative partnerships will require an adequate demonstration of value for all stakeholders.Does the mHealth industry have an adequate understanding of how to demonstrate this value?

[1] Ethiopia’s Ethio Telecom is 100% state owned and the only MNO operating in the country.