MWC 2012: Etisalat’s Mobile Baby wins Best Mobile Health Innovation

Mobile World Congress, one of the biggest mobile tech events across the globe, officially kicked off this week in Barcelona. Although the focus is primarily on the biggest names in tech competing with their shiny new handsets, there were a few interesting mobile health announcements too.

The event wasn’t like CES, with a huge health and fitness gadget or mobile section, but there was a dedicated ‘Best Mobile Health Innovation’ award, which went to Etisalat, a leading telecommunications operator across the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

The company won the award for its mobile health platform, called Mobile Baby, which it showcased to big tech and mobile giants at MWC earlier this week. The platform’s main aim is to deliver affordable, primary healthcare solutions to people in remote parts of the world. Etisalat representatives explained that it’s already working well in Africa and has even showed that with continued use it could help meet one of the Millennium Development Goals – to reduce maternal mortality in childbirth by 75%.

It’s focused on enabling midwives and other medical professionals to help with safer pregnancies and deliveries by enabling them to find emergencies and quickly act accordingly.

George Held, the group senior director of products and services at Etisalat, said:

“We’ve developed an mHealth ecosystem that brings together medical healthcare professionals, pharmaceutical and insurance companies, and federal and state government to deliver affordable healthcare for all powered by mobile connectivity.

“About 358,000 women die worldwide annually from complications during pregnancy and childbirth, and most of these deaths are preventable with access to quality care. Mobile baby provides that care by connecting healthcare professionals to remote locations through mobile network connectivity to deliver diagnostics and treatments.”

It’s great to see such big telecommunications companies using their networks to really make a difference and improve health conditions in some of the remotest areas, and it’s even better to see big events like MWC award them for their efforts!

[Via Dubai Chronicle Image va GSMA]