In certain circles there is a raging debate about
government’s insistence on promoting sciences over arts.
Understandably many of the opponents of this government, are
people who feel they have no aptitude for science and therefore feel
shortchanged by the initiative. Government and the proponents of the move say
science and technology are the major drivers of innovation, which is what will
drive development in this country into the future.
In the history of development, the promotion of science and
technology has often made the difference between those who lagged behind and
those who shot ahead. While crucial to innovation, innovation can be exercised
by anyone and not only scientists.
This week Ugandan Eunice Namirembe, a founding member of the
health services provider, Medicine Concierge,
won the Google Africa Connected award for her company’s innovative way
of getting health serbices to people in need, using ICT.
Medicine Concierge, uses ICT to provide health tips, first
aid advice and coordinate medical services for people in emergencies, out of a
single van that doubles as a call center and ambulance.
Namirembe working with a group of health practitioners, thought up and executed the concept, which is unique in its ability to overcome
our weaknesses in health service delivery, using communication.
The initiative works around Kampala, but with help from
Google maybe rolled out to cover the country, the continent eventually.
Namirembe’s last days before a science teacher may have been
in her O-Level, but she has used her interest in computers to find a solution
for the issues of the day.
The point is, that we cannot get away from science and
technology as a driver of innovation but we need not be scientists to harness
this power.
Never in the history of the world has the saying “the world
is oyster” had more meaning than today.
The example of Namirembe and her colleagues highlights for
me one of the major challenges of service delivery in this country.
Often times our services are copy-paste templates from more
developed economies and do not take our own local peculiarities into account.
Take the case of medical care not everybody needs to go to the hospital for
medical care, a timely first aid intervention can mean the difference between
getting up after an incident and a lengthy stay in one of health centers, with
their creaky facilities and dubious service.
A large part of the challenge with our health system is that
it is overwhelmed by all sorts of minor problems, taking away resources from
serious issues.
In the financial sector, believe it or not there was a time
when banks were only situated near or on Kampala road, they opened at 10 am, closed for business at one pm, never opened on weekends and for a long time, there
was only one ATM machine on Kampala road, which was only used by VISA credit
card holders.
Now with mobile money, a concept developed just across the
border in Kenya, to serve the unique need of our societies, especially that we
still have no fixed addresses – as determined by western models, but we still
need to move money around, banking services are changing to back room operators
rather than the face of the industry.
Examples abound in whichever industry you care to think
about.
The key for us, is having our own people – scientists or not,
looking to solve our problems using available technologies to bridge our
deficiencies.
Whereas we need not look to government for support in all
our endevours, there has to be mechanism put in place to recognise and
encourage innovators like Namirembe and her partners. The support need not be
in form of cash – government cash has a nasty habit of killing initiative, but
maybe as little as giving them an ear and helping them connect with other
innovators around the country or around the globe.
Isnt it a scandal that it has taken Google from across the
Atlantic to come and showcase this initiative?
