mVAC

Website: www.openXdata.org
Funding: RCN
Coordinator:
Thorkild Tylleskär
Jørn Ivar Klungsøyr
Period: 2010-2012
Project page at RCN

Synopsis:
We will develop an innovative and mobile phone based solutions to create a fully digital system for recording immunizations at the individual level, which can be implemented in countries both with and without a public unique person ID structure/system. Primary health care workers will be equipped with a low-cost, Java-enabled mobile phone with an integrated camera (300NOK/50USD) to use for recording data on vaccines administered and then submitting this data regularly to a central vaccination registry.

We will use a child health card equipped with a 2-dimensional barcode (datamatrix) as the primary proxy (identifier) for a child, rather than personal ID numbers. Using the camera on the phone to scan the card on each visit, we will collect individualized data on vaccines administered and be able to anticipate when future doses will need to be given, allowing the vaccine supply chain to accurately forecast the amount of vaccine that needs to be at each point in the system at any given time.

The systems will be tested by the partners in a field setting.This interdisciplinary action research project combines health and information technology expertise with implementation activities in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The partners of this application have extensive experience in developing and deploying open source and free mobile and server side solutions for health interventions (EpiHandy, JavaROSA, OpenMRS, WHO Anthro, MobileHRS, IRD Client) and expertise in vaccine logistics and supply chains in developing countries (Optimize-WHO/PATH).

The consortium consists of renowned and influential international and Norwegian organizations, universities, software and hardware development groups, with an outstanding record of delivering high-quality research and software solutions on aspects relating to child health and mobile technologies in low-resource settings.