Framework for low-cost maintenance of computer infrastructure applicable in low and middle income countries

Abstract

The World Health Organization in WHA58.28 e-Health Resolution has called upon the use of low-cost information and communication technology (ICT) to improve the quality of service delivery in low and middle income countries and to build up health worker's capacity especially at the primary healthcare (PHC) level. Thanks to market demands and technological progress, the cost for computer hardware is decreasing. Due to this progress, project such as ICT4MPOWER can provide lowcost ICT infrastructure to hospitals and rural clinics in Uganda for better health outcomes of the rural population. However, as number of low-cost computers increase, the more maintenance will be needed. Establishing local technical support team to maintain computer infrastructure in rural clinics of developing countries is a big challenge, since rural clinics lack funds to recruit and sustain local technical support team. Sustaining technical support team locally and providing maintenance for implemented ICT infrastructure is one of the reasons why e-health projects are hard to sustain in rural areas of developing countries. Authors present a framework for simple, practical and low-cost maintenance of computer infrastructure applicable in healthcare organizations of low and middle income countries. It includes innovative use of already existing technology (External Hard Drive) and Centralized Technical Support Team (CTST).