Grameenphone Wins Global Award for HealthLine
(Barcelona, Feb 13 2007) Grameenphone Ltd. was presented with the GSM Association's Global Mobile Award for ‘Best use of Mobile for Social and Economic Development' at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona.
A lifeline for mobile users in remote areas
The award was presented to Grameenphone CEO Erik Aas during the GSMA's Annual Leadership Summit, in front of an audience of industry leaders and Government Ministers from around the world. GP got the award for its HealthLine Service.
"This was a very competitive category, we received more than 60 entries from operators, manufacturers, NGOs, charities and businesses and our independent judging panel had a real challenge on their hands to select a winner," said GSMA Chief Executive, Rob Conway. "HealthLine is a lifeline, particularly for mobile users in remote areas. We offer our warmest congratulations to Grameenphone."
Making health care more accessible
The HealthLine Service, implemented in cooperation with the Telemedicine Reference Center Limited, is a 24-hour Medical Call Center manned by licensed physicians and accessible for all Grameenphone subscribers.
"This is a great honour for Grameenphone. The GSMA award is a recognition of Grameenphone’s efforts to further facilitate the socio-economic development of Bangladesh," says Erik Aas, CEO of Grameenphone.
"Grameenphone and the mobile industry represent a major part of the development of Bangladesh, and this initiative shows our commitment to the development of the country, the people and their well-being. The HealthLine Service will make primary health care services more accessible to a large number of people."
An interactive teleconference
The HealthLine Service is an interactive teleconference between a GP caller seeking health-related advice or consultation, and a licensed physician. The service is available 24/7 and includes:
- Information on Doctor and Medical Facilities
- Information on Drug or Pharmacy
- Information on Laboratory Test Report (interpretation)
- Medical Advice/ Consultation from Doctor
- Emergencies
GSMA - serving more than 82 percent of the world’s mobile phone users
Founded in 1987, The GSM Association (GSMA) is a global trade association representing more than 700 GSM mobile phone operators across 217 territories and countries around the world. , More than 180 manufacturers and suppliers support the Association's initiatives as associate members. The Association's members serve more than 2 billion customers - over 82% of the world's mobile phone users.
500 Community Information centres
In cooperation with the GSMA, Gramenphone launched another unique service called the Community Information Centers (CICs) in 2006. The CICs are shared premises run by local entrepreneurs and designed to provide access to the Internet and other information-based services in rural areas through Grameenphone's nationwide EDGE connectivity. The CICs are serving the rural areas which do not have any other forms of access to the Internet. Presently, there are about 500 CICs in operation throughout Bangladesh.
Read more on Community Information centres on Grameenphone’s website
Read more on Health Line on Grameenphone’s website
Read more on GSMA awards