Friday, April 20, 2012

Bangladesh Raises Neonatal Immunization Rate with Help from Mobile Phones

Immunization rates in Bangladesh’s Habibganj town are up over 25%, thanks to health officer Dr. Asm Amjad Hossain, who began registering pregnant women and tracking the progress of mother and child over mobile phones.

The success story of this mobile phone-based strategy, devised by Dr. Hossain, has caught the attention of authorities in Bangladesh, as well as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  

 
Dr. Asm Amjad Hossain, Gates Foundation Winner of Inaugural Gates Vaccine Innovation Award

The immunization rate is now above 85% in Habibganj and with this phone-based approach, other regions of Bangladesh hope to see immunization rates increase.