MobileActive, a global network of people using mobile technology for social impact, recently reported on Pesinet, a French nonprofit that uses mobile technology to provide regular health checkups and insurance to young children in Mali. A fee of XOF 500 (USD 0.96) per month covers doctor examinations and half the cost of any medications the child may need.
Community workers examine enrolled children weekly to test for symptoms of illness and use their mobile phones to enter the data gathered into a custom-designed application that aggregates the information online via general packet radio service (GPRS). Patient data is monitored by doctors at local community health centres, and community health workers are alerted when a child should be seen at the centre for further examination.
In a survey of participating families, 94 percent reported satisfaction with Pesinet, and 97 percent called the service “very affordable.” Participating health centres have also seen a 37-percent increase in visits from Pesinet subscribers. However, Pesinet is still faced with the challenge of promoting the value of paying for precautions against future illnesses, as insurance and preventative medicine are not very prevalent in Mali.
As of December 2011, approximately 600 children from the Bamako Coura neighbourhood in the city of Bamako have signed up for Pesinet’s service.
By Kristha Abores, Research Associate
About Pesinet:
Based in France, Pesinet is a nonprofit that uses mobile technology to provide regular health checkups and affordable health insurance for young children in Mali. As of December 2011, the programme has roughly 600 children from the Bamako Coura neighbourhood in Bamako, Mali. Financial information on Pesinet is not available.
Sources and Additional Resources:
[1] “Pesinet: Mobile Monitoring and Micro-Insurance for Children in Mali,” http://www.mobileactive.org/pesinet-child-health-monitoring-and-micro-insurance
MicroCapital.org article, September 27, 2011, “MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MicroEnsure to Offer Microinsurance in Kenya Using M-Pesa, FrontlineSMS:Credit Technology,” https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-microensure-to-offer-microinsurance-in-kenya-using-m-pesa-frontlinesmscredit-technology/
MicroCapital.org article, April 19, 2011, “MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Mobile Telecommunications Network (MTN) Ghana, Hollard Insurance, Mobile Financial Services (MFS) Africa, MicroEnsure Pilot “mi-Life” Mobile Money Insurance Product in Ghana,” https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-mobile-telecommunications-network-mtn-ghana-hollard-insurance-mobile-financial-services-mfs-africa-microensure-pilot-%E2%80%9Cmi-life%E2%80%9D-mobile-money-insurance-product/
MicroCapital Universe Profile: Pesinet, https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=Pesinet
Browse the MicroCapital Universe and add your entry to the wiki at: https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/
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