The Zambian government plans to approve an e-health system in a bid to achieve reforms and fulfil the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on health by 2015.

Through the Ministry of Health, the Zambian government said it would adopt new methodologies and approaches to manage provisions of health services imperative to the growth of the health sector.

Christopher Mulenga, deputy health minister, said the country’s government is currently reviewing how best health services delivery can be done through electronic and mobile phone technologies.

“The ministry is currently reviewing how best the health service delivery can be done so that we can improve the referral system and decongest the major hospitals,” Mulenga said.

The Zambian government, through the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF), is already using the SMS technology to relay HIV tests results for infants, allowing for an early treatment of those found to be living with HIV.

The Zambian government said electronic and mobile phone technology has proven to be efficient in health service delivery.