Message-Based interaction (MBI) mobile phone platform to expedite counselling and education to HIV patients in developing countries

HIV/Aids is spreading at an alarming rate in sub-Saharan Africa despite all governmental and other non-governmental organizations interventions put in place to curb the spread. This study investigated how people infected with HIV/AIDs are counselled and educated by health care providers and the technologies used in providing such services. The study employed a case study approach in collecting data from two countries in Southern Africa. It was revealed that counselling session are provided to both affected HIV/Aids patients and non-affected patients through attendance of clinical sessions once in a week. Patients and non-patients travel long distances for the counselling services. It was further revealed that the counsellors who give education to the patients use flipcharts, smart boards and verbal explanation to educate the patients without using any mobile phone technology regardless of 90% of the people (both counsellors and patients) own a mobile phone The findings lead to the proposal of massage-based mobile platform(MBIMPP) to enhance effective interaction between HIV/Aids patients and counsellors to improve education and counselling to the patient. The platform does not only serve as a framework to improve counselling but a structure to assist government and non-governmental organizations who intend to contribute to HIV/Aids reduction in Africa.