Mobile Health Africa Summit- the Promise of M-Health in Africa is perhaps the first multi-stakeholder event focusing on mHealth in Africa that will take place on the continent. With reported mobile subscriptions to be over 379 million, Africa is home to one of the fastest growing mobile markets in the world. Over half of the population in African countries (roughly 70% in Ghana) uses mobile phones. This creates an unprecedented opportunity to leverage the mobile phone platform to revolutionize the delivery of healthcare to entire populations at less than 25% the cost of traditional delivery models.  Mobile devices can revolutionize several components of the health delivery system, including:

• Collecting clinical and community health data,
• Monitoring patient vitals signs in real-time
• Augmenting the direct provision of care by linking health care workers to patients
• Delivering healthcare information to practitioners, researchers, and patients
• Addressing supply chain management problems e.g. pharmaceuticals supply

For the telecommunications industry, a rapidly growing m-Health sector could represent a significant market opportunity, accelerated by the enhanced availability of java-enabled phones and mobile services in several countries.  McKinsey estimates that opportunities in the global mobile healthcare market are valued between $50bn and $60bn in 2010.

For health and ICT entrepreneurs, a new platform creates an opportunity to develop innovative ideas that address existing problems or create new solutions to improve healthcare.  Most African countries are not on track to meet the UN’s Millennium Development Goals so the need for innovation has never been greater.