Satellife’s Healthnet: The View from Africa

Abstract

Delegates at meetings of Africa’s Association for Health Information and Libraries often describe their work as a continuing struggle against the forces of attrition. But in recent years there have been reports of respites in the struggle - small victories and outbreaks of peace are now on record. These outbreaks have invariably taken place where one or more of the new technologies have crept in. This paper describes the effects on communications and information delivery of Africa’s economic crises, and reports on developments in a new and innovative use of information and communications technologies in bringing current health information to centres in several African countries.