[Re: https://www.hifa.org/dgroups-rss/mhealth-innovate-37-cost-implications-m... ]
Healthcare workers in India go through a similar experience. They have been provided mobile phones by the state- and internet data packs are paid for as part of their salaries.
However the mobile phones they have been provided have 2 GB or 3GB RAM. Official apps which workers have to use, along with huge amount of data they have to keep in the phone, the government provided phones doesnt function for long. In my fieldwork, most workers have reported that their government phones stopped working with one year, and now they are all using perosnal mobile devices to do the work.
Most workers have bought their own mobile phones, from their own money, as online, app based work is mandatory for them. They have to upload daily data on the official apps as well as reports on whatsapp. So they have to have a mobile phone, hence even if government one stops working, they have to arrange a device of their own.
Sometimes when the devices get stolen or stop functioning, these workers borrow mobiles of fellow workers or family members to upload the data requirement for the day. The personal phones workers have bought for their work are also "family devices" now. The children, and other family members often use these devices for watching youtube video or taking online classes. Interestingly, the workers do not see this as threat to patients data privacy.
Most workers have complained about inadequate and faulty devices to their supervisors as well as thier unions, but the devices has not been replaced. So government claims to cover the cost of digitalization of health system, but in reality most of this cost is paid by workers.
Vaishnavi Mangal
Doctoral Candidate
Department of Health Sciences, Ålesund
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
Address: A117, Floor 1, Block A, Larsgårdsvegen 2, Ålesund, Norway
HIFA profile: Vaishnavi Mangal is a PhD candidate at Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and is based in India. Professional interests: Digital Health, Informal Digital Health, Community health work. vaishnavimangal6896 AT gmail.com