How smartphones fill the healthcare gap in Myanmar
22-Sep-15, National Geographic
On average, a person living in Myanmar (also known as Burma) will live two decades less than someone in the US. For Michael Lwin, who came to the United States from Myanmar in the 1970s, this is an unfair consequence of a geographic lottery that favors him over his cousin Yar Zar Minn Htoo.
In 2012, the two teamed up to start Koe Koe Tech, a healthcare systems provider. In a nation of 4 doctors per 10,000 citizens, mobile phones represent a powerful instrument to overcome state capacity by providing healthcare information, advice and feedback in rural and urban areas.
%20Michael%20Lwin.png "How smartphones fill the healthcare gap in Myanmar (c) Michael Lwin")
Image: Michael Lwin
The cousins created the country’s first mobile health app, which sends messages to users’ phones, catered to their needs. Over 90% of the population use smartphones. The mobile health platform delineates medical information key to increasing lifespans.
“It is going to be a huge benefit to the women and children of Myanmar, as 70% of births occur without a professional medical service,” says Lwin. The packaged health modules span over 32 different health categories.