Tag Archives: Northern Regional Library (Ghana)

Public Libraries and Health

Building on our last post EIFL’s Public Library Innovation Programme is delighted to share results of two library health services in Africa.  They are:
• Northern Regional Library (Ghana), which builds health workers’ and community ICT capacity, and sent over 3,000 phone text messages (SMS) to 94 expectant mothers with health information and reminders about clinic and hospital visits.
• Busolwe Public Library (Uganda), which provides free ICT training for health workers and the community and translates information about how to prevent and recognize common illnesses into the local language, Lunyole.
The stories are summarized in 2-page case studies, with information for other libraries wanting to start similar services. Both stories emphasize the importance of producinglocally relevant information in local languages – a key point for libraries (or anyone else) using technology to deliver services in developing countries.