| Charity album benefits open source health tech in Africa |
Feb. 24, 2009
 A non-profit organization is selling a music album to raise money for an initiative to encourage the use of open-source software in African healthcare. Proceeds from the "OPEN Remix" album, which features musician Youssou N'Dour (pictured), will benefit the IntraHealth OPEN Initiative, says IntraHealth International.
(Click for larger view of Youssou N'Dour)
The entire OPEN Remix album also appears to be available for free download from Amazon.com, here.
The IntraHealth OPEN initiative intends to place "the latest open source software technologies directly in the hands of health workers," says IntraHealth International, a 30-year old NGO that supports healthcare programs in some 50 countries. IntraHealth OPEN will bring together technology firms, health leaders, and students to develop and deploy open-source software applications for critical healthcare issues in Africa, says the NGO.
A key goal of the project is to teach African health professionals to identify and implement appropriate open source technologies for cost-effective healthcare. The group envisions cash-strapped African healthcare organizations using open source software running with web-based interfaces on mobile phones and PDAs.
IntraHealth has also established an OPEN Council that includes a variety of foundations, media companies, and technology organizations. The latter include Red Hat, The Linux Foundation, GNOME Foundation, Creative Commons, Open Source Software Institute, OSU Open Source Lab, O'Reilly Media, Motorola, Novell, and Brightkite.
OPEN Remix cover
In addition to featuring Grammy Award-winning global superstar N'Dour, the album includes guest appearances from artists including Nas, Duncan Sheik, and R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, says IntraHealth. Released by the Oseao Media Group, the album features N'Dour's song "Wake Up," as well as various remixes of the song by other artists. Free downloads of "Wake Up" have started to become available in various online promotions, from distribution partners including Rhapsody, iLike, and Amazon MP3, as well as at IntraHealth's website.
Another interesting mobile eHealth project using open source software is the Moca project sponsored by MIT. This spring the project will test its remote medical diagnostics application in poor rural areas of the Phillipines. The Moca software integrates a Linux server and an application running on an Android cellphone.
Stated IntraHealth CEO Pape Gaye, "The IntraHealth OPEN Initiative will foster a new generation of technology professionals, eHealth workers, and national leaders who understand, use, and support open technologies to improve health."
Stated N'Dour, "Open source technologies let us address health challenges collaboratively with African developers in the lead. If we invest in open source development training in Africa we will be supporting self-sufficient health professionals able to use technology and customize programs to address their critical health challenges."
More information should be available at the IntraHealth OPEN site, here.
-- Eric Brown
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