At the GSM World Mobile Conference in February 2009, the Rockefeller Foundation, United Nations Foundation and Vodafone Foundation announced an agreement to form the mHealth Alliance to facilitate global innovation and ensure maximum impact in the field of mobile health (mHealth), the United Nations Foundation says.

The idea for the mHealth Alliance emanated from a July 2008 conference on the future of mHealth, held as part of the Making the eHealth Connection: Global Partners, Local Solutions event at the Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center. Participants committed to forming a non-profit mHealth Alliance to maximize the impact of mobile health, especially in emerging economies.

The Alliance will act as an umbrella organization to complement, draw together and expand upon the mHealth initiatives of multiple organizations around the world. It will cultivate cross-sector, public and private, collaboration in support of innovation and projects that address global health needs.

Today there are over 4 billion mobile devices in use around the world—64 percent of them are in the hands of people living in emerging market economies. Mobile phones have the ability to dramatically change the lives of those who use them, significantly including healthcare providers.

mHealth, the use of mobile devices in health solutions, is revolutionizing healthcare delivery in much of the developing world. Innovative mHealth projects are powering the collection of health data, supporting diagnosis and treatment, and advancing education and research in even the most remote and resource poor environments.

The UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set out clear and ambitious targets for reducing child and maternal mortality worldwide. But a growing shortage of healthcare workers and other economic and environmental trends have made elevation of life expectancy rates a challenge.

The MDGs also call for dynamic public-private partnerships to help tackle obstacles to international development. The field of mHealth has enormous potential to leverage health innovation, and the widespread availability of mobile technologies through new alliances that together can improve healthcare delivery worldwide.

In keeping with the rapid evolution of the mHealth industry, the Alliance will maintain a broad vision. Its initial activity will focus on thought leadership, global advocacy and collaboration, and implementation.

The mHealth Alliance will facilitate regional partnerships and initiatives that improve healthcare in developing countries.

The mHealth Alliance will engage organizations, donors, members, affiliates, and project partners from the public, NGO, academic and private sectors. For more information contact technology@unfoundation.org.