AIDS and PDAs: Yes, There Is a Link!

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2004/Dec/1098004.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2004/Dec/1098004.htm</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Most of the seven million Americans who upgrade to a new PDA every year simply throw their used one away or put it in a drawer not knowing what to do with it. Skyscape and SATELLIFE are creating a "Global Supply Line" that will eliminate this waste and put old handheld devices to good use--by donating them to physicians in Africa. Skyscape will equip these handheld devices with mobile medical references enabling health practitioners in the developing world to access the latest medical information while working in rural areas. This program begins December 1, 2004 (World AIDS Day)."</i><br /><br />This is the kind of news that brings warm, fuzzy feelings to your heart, as we don't often sit down and consider how lucky we are to be able to own and even upgrade our PDAs. This is an excellent and well-planned initiative by Skyscape and SATELLIFE in my opinion, and will help improve healthcare in the African nations. Donated PDAs will be fitted with a vast array of popular medical programs to help physicians in their work.<br /><br />If you would like to donate your PDA, click <a href="http://www.skyscape.com/AIDSDAY/">here</a> for more information. Skyscape are also offering a gift to donators as a quick way of saying "thank you". Are any of you considering helping out the people in Africa? :)

[jeffmd]

sounds great.. but how old is to old? I have a pilot m80 thats been collecting dust.. its not quite 3 years old but was a budget minded pda.

are there any other initiatives like these I wonder and not just limmited to just africa and aids (You cant fight aids, you can only make people aware of it. in that sense I dont see the pda being anything more then a glorified pamphlet)?

[T-Will]

are there any other initiatives like these I wonder and not just limmited to just africa and aids (You cant fight aids, you can only make people aware of it. in that sense I dont see the pda being anything more then a glorified pamphlet)?

Same thing I was thinking... :|

[bcries]

(You cant fight aids, you can only make people aware of it. in that sense I dont see the pda being anything more then a glorified pamphlet)?

I strongly disagree. It would seem that there are many useful and powerful drugs that can slow the progression of AIDS and treat its effects; one would hope that a PDA full of detailed information about these drugs would be helpful, since they are often prescribed in combination dosages. These drugs are slowly becoming available in Africa as big drug companies are finally agreeing to sell them "at cost".

Certainly awareness is important as well... but it sounds like the PDAs will be used mainly for medical lookup purposes.

[capo]

The church I belong to supports several medical outreaches in places like Mexico, Belize, the Dominican, Haiti, etc. This story got me wondering if they might have use for my "last year's model" iPaq 3835 so I emailed to inquire. Thanks for the idea!

[Jonathan1]

A worthy goal but I won't sabotage their efforts by sending them my Palm Sized PC E-11. :wink: :lol:

[dorelse]

are there any other initiatives like these I wonder and not just limmited to just africa and aids (You cant fight aids, you can only make people aware of it. in that sense I dont see the pda being anything more then a glorified pamphlet)?

Same thing I was thinking... :|

Are you guys sure you're reading this right?

The goal is to get up to date medical reference information in an easily accessible tool that Doctors can reference and use to prescribe the best treatment options to their patients.

How a pda, with updated medical &amp; prescription informaiton, in a Doctors hands, is a glorifed pamphlet to a physician escapes me. Its a critical weapon for an illness impacting millions on that continent.

I'm also not sure where the world would be today if people had said "you can't fight smallpox, only make people aware of it", (or Polio, or any number of now minor (or otherwise defeated) illnesses once thought terminal.



Jonathan1 - Hmm...don't think they'd use my Newton 130 either...Ah another MN boy...cool..good to see yah..:D

[Darius Wey]

I strongly disagree. It would seem that there are many useful and powerful drugs that can slow the progression of AIDS and treat its effects; one would hope that a PDA full of detailed information about these drugs would be helpful, since they are often prescribed in combination dosages. These drugs are slowly becoming available in Africa as big drug companies are finally agreeing to sell them "at cost".

Certainly awareness is important as well... but it sounds like the PDAs will be used mainly for medical lookup purposes.

Well said. I can happily say that having a host of medical programs on my Pocket PC definitely helps me in my work. So this initiative taken by Skyscape and SATELLIFE will definitely be of benefit to physicians practicing in Africa. While AIDS is not yet curable, it can certainly be cared for and any information that one can have in the palm of their hand is certainly an asset to say the least.

[sylvangale]

I see this is as a company whose goal is to sell PDA software to health care professionals and is using a donation ploy to get kind hearted people to supply their future clients in a difficult country to market tech products.

Scyscape's homepage http://www.skyscape.com/

That aside here's an interesting article on Aids in Africa and how HIV tests are held to less scrutiny than in other countries (like being dignosed as HIV+ merely by symptoms of malnutrition and not by an HIV test).
http://www.aliveandwell.org/html/africa/africainperspective.html

[wigglesworth]

see this is as a company whose goal is to sell PDA software to health care professionals and is using a donation ploy to get kind hearted people to supply their future clients in a difficult country to market tech products
Their is no logic to this thinking, according to their website they will equip the donated handheld with software and I also get a free software title plus a 20% off coupon for a later purchase as well.
Skyscape will equip these handheld devices with mobile medical references enabling health practitioners in the developing world to access to the latest medical information while working in rural areas
After that you are not obligated to purchase their software you could use someone elses it's your choice. this is a company that is creating good PR for themselves, helping doctors in another country, and is allowing me to make a change in an improvished nation.
I'd like to know what's so wrong with that? I'm glad to see that someone is willing to do something.

Just a short note on the "cost" of prescriptions
These drugs are slowly becoming available in Africa as big drug companies are finally agreeing to sell them "at cost
I used to work for a pharmacy chain in Canada and one of our benefits was we got to purchase prescriptions for the cost the company payes for them. A fellow staff member needed a prescription that would have cost you 86.90, she only paid 6.10 for it! I was also privy to goverment and insurance checks coming in to pay for drugs. Every 1-2 weeks we would recieve 5-7 checks ranging from $15,000-$35,000 each.

[T-Will]

are there any other initiatives like these I wonder and not just limmited to just africa and aids (You cant fight aids, you can only make people aware of it. in that sense I dont see the pda being anything more then a glorified pamphlet)?

Same thing I was thinking... :|

Are you guys sure you're reading this right?

The goal is to get up to date medical reference information in an easily accessible tool that Doctors can reference and use to prescribe the best treatment options to their patients.

How a pda, with updated medical &amp; prescription informaiton, in a Doctors hands, is a glorifed pamphlet to a physician escapes me. Its a critical weapon for an illness impacting millions on that continent.

I'm also not sure where the world would be today if people had said "you can't fight smallpox, only make people aware of it", (or Polio, or any number of now minor (or otherwise defeated) illnesses once thought terminal.



Jonathan1 - Hmm...don't think they'd use my Newton 130 either...Ah another MN boy...cool..good to see yah..:D

I guess I have a problem with the BIG picture...this isn't a disease that people randomly or accidently get (unless you're a child born with it or from a bad blood transfusion), so I guess my problem is spending money or donating a PDA to help people that have a totally preventable disease.

[Darius Wey]

I guess I have a problem with the BIG picture...this isn't a disease that people randomly or accidently get (unless you're a child born with it or from a bad blood transfusion), so I guess my problem is spending money or donating a PDA to help people that have a totally preventable disease.

Woah... hang on, while it is preventable, many cases do occur by accident. Needlestick injuries are common in the workplace, and I don't think you can say that these came about "on purpose". And don't forget, in well-developed countries, we are exposed to many health awareness campaigns that help teach us about behaviour that can prevent us getting these diseases. In developing countries, these campaigns and educational resources are not so common, so being able to lend a hand to these nations should be seen in a positive light, not a negative one.

[Stik]

Woah... hang on, while it is preventable, many cases do occur by accident.

And many have emerged not by accident, but by years of civil war and sexual atrocities commited on women, young and old alike!

Africa is home to more than half of the world's refugee population -- about 12 million including those internally displaced. Refugees make easy targets for sexual predators, many of whom carry HIV, the AIDS virus.

West African soldiers, for example, fathered some 25,000 children during peacekeeping missions in Liberia between 1990 and 1998. The Nigerian contingent accounted for 50 percent of the cases and soldiers from Ghana, Guinea and Sierra Leone the rest, according to Teniola Olufemi, coordinator of the charity known as the ECOMOG Children Project Inc. All the fathers abandoned the children. (Reported by the Pan African News Agency, September 21, 1998.)

In the Congo conflict, Ugandan soldiers prey on Congolese women with impunity, aggravating an already precarious AIDS situation.

And this was all reported back in 1998!

Timeline to 2004 and studies from Rwanda, South Africa and Tanzania show up to three-fold increases in the risk of HIV among women who have experienced violence, compared to those who have not.

I see this is as a company whose goal is to sell PDA software to health care professionals and is using a donation ploy to get kind hearted people to supply their future clients in a difficult country to market tech products



I guess I have a problem with the BIG picture...this isn't a disease that people randomly or accidently get (unless you're a child born with it or from a bad blood transfusion), so I guess my problem is spending money or donating a PDA to help people that have a totally preventable disease.


I won't post what I really think of these comments. It would for sure land this thread into the HOFS. I'll just say that ignorance doesn't just reside with the impoverished, illiterate black people that are pawns of governments that spend 100 fold on their arms race than for AID's education and programs for their peoples. :roll:

Thanks, hats off and Godspeed to companies and organizations like Skyscape, SATELLIFE, Bridges.org and others that are trying to make a difference with this worldwide epidemic.

[T-Will]

I won't post what I really think of these comments. It would for sure land this thread into the HOFS. I'll just say that ignorance doesn't just reside with the impoverished, illiterate black people that are pawns of governments that spend 100 fold on their arms race than for AID's education and programs for their peoples. :roll:

Like I said, the children are totally innocent and so are the women who are being raped and preyed on by these savages and I have no problem helping them out and helping those who get AIDS by accident. But something needs to be done with the savages that are spreading this disease on purpose (stop AIDS at the root of the problem).

[Darius Wey]

Like I said, the children are totally innocent and so are the women who are being raped and preyed on by these savages and I have no problem helping them out and helping those who get AIDS by accident. But something needs to be done with the savages that are spreading this disease on purpose (stop AIDS at the root of the problem).

One word: Education. ;)

[Stik]

Interesting Organization. :way to go:

The inspiration for SATELLIFE came in the mid 1980s from renowned cardiologist and social activist, Dr. Bernard Lown. Prior to the creation of SATELLIFE, Dr. Lown accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985 on behalf of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, an organization he co-founded.

http://www.healthnet.org/history.php

" SATELLIFE and its HealthNet affiliates implement a variety of projects in partnership with other organizations, institutions, development agencies, and donors who are also committed to improving health throughout the world. Our current and most recently completed projects have focused on using handheld computers for a variety of purposes in diverse environments. "

There's two gentlemen here that are in dire need of your secondary or thirdary workable PocketPC machines. They need these devices to use as health information tools and treat those in dire need...

http://www.healthnet.org/whatwedo.php

[sylvangale]

I see this is as a company whose goal is to sell PDA software to health care professionals and is using a donation ploy to get kind hearted people to supply their future clients in a difficult country to market tech products


Their is no logic to this thinking, according to their website they will equip the donated handheld with software and I also get a free software title plus a 20% off coupon for a later purchase as well.

See Skyscape's Company profile: http://www.skyscape.com/presskit/technologybackground.asp

Their business revolves around selling PDA software to healthcare professionals. They are NOT a non-profit organization. They are asking for donations of PDAs to give to healthcare workers in Africa, which they will put their software on.

I personally believe that this company is not doing this out of the kindness of their hearts and that they expect the doctors that they supply PDAs to, to also purchase the healthcare software that their business relies on.