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This brief article reports on a new global system to detect public health and bioterrorism threats, developed in Canada. The system will be used to track high-profile threats, as well as lesser problems such as contamination to food and water sources, natural disasters, and unsafe medical products, drugs and medical devices. WHO is a key recipient of the alerts, and is using the information to develop plans of action to control outbreaks

This report considers the quality of communication between aid givers and receivers, and what impact this has on vulnerable people. The report examines how information is handled before, during and after disasters. It analyses thematic issues such as consulting with affected people, assessing needs, mapping risks and sharing information. It looks at the role of both local and international media, and the impact of information and communication technology on humanitarian relief. The report calls on agencies to focus less on gathering information for their own needs and more on exchanging information with the people they seek to support

The faculty at Moi University in Kenya and Indiana University in the USA opened adult and pediatric HIV clinics in a national referral hospital, a district hospital, and six rural health centers in western Kenya using a newly developed electronic medical record system (EMR) to support comprehensive outpatient HIV/AIDS care. The EMR contains more than 30,000 visit records for more than 4,000 patients, almost half taking antiretroviral drugs. This article describes the development and structure of this EMR and plans for future development that include wireless connections, tablet computers, and migration to a Web-based platform

This book aims to document and analyse emerging experiences in the field of gender, ICT and develoment, and addresses policy, programmatic and theoretical issues and debates. Case studies explore the use of satellites, mobile telephones, wireless networks and applications such as Internet, email, distance learning, teleworking, digital radio and video. Some conclusions from the case studies are that: ICTs are not gender-neutral, because women seek to use them to break out of systematic discrimmination, and even gender violence; women use ICTs transform low-tech projects into more strategic initiatives that address gender inequities; links to policy and control of communication networks, of both new and conventional media are evident. The editors argue that there is a need to go beyond simply "women and technology" to focus on gender relations in communication and learning

An assessment of pharmaceutical advertisements in prescribing software, their adherence to code standards, and the opinions of general practitioners regarding the advertisements

This brief resource highlights the link between development and innovation, and knowledge and information accessibility. The process of creating an informed society depends not only on the availability of information technology and infrastructures, but also and primarily on people, as the creators and users of knowledge. The paper calls for improvements in the e-readiness of developing countries, higher literacy levels and better protection of the right to information

This study explores the debate and initiatives concerning the use of information technology (IT) in primary health care in developing countries. The literature from 1992-2002 was identified from searches of the MEDLINE, Latin American and Caribbean Health Science Literature Database (LILACS), Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases. For the analysis of advantages, problems and perspectives of IT applications and systems, 52 articles were selected according to their potential contribution to the primary health care processes in non-developed countries. countries. These included: 10 on electronic patient registries (EPR), 22 on process and programmatic action evaluation and management systems (PPAEM) and 20 on clinical decision-support systems (CDS). The main advantages, limitations and perspectives are discussed

Thi article reports on the Cell-Life project, which has developed a software and data management systems to allow health workers use their mobile phones to monitor patients' treatment. The data is transferred to a central database, which clinic staff can access over a secure Internet connection. In a successful pilot project 80 HIV counsellours where trained, and through the use of their mobiles are now able to keept track of nearly 800 patients