are emerging and fundamentally changing how science and research are conducted. Broadband enables faster diffusion of codified knowledge and ideas, linking science more closely to business. It also lowers barriers to product and process innovation, fosters startups, improves business collaboration, enables small businesses to expand their R&D and collaborate with larger R&D consortiums, and encourages greater networking among the community of researchers (Van Welsum and Vickery 2007). Many developing countries expect public investments in broadband—for education, health care, and the overall economy—to pay off. In 2006, the government of the Arab Republic of Egypt, in partnership with the private sector, installed a WiMax network to connect two public schools, a mobile health care center, a municipal building, and an e-government services kiosk in rural Oseem.3 In April 2008, the government of Brazil formalized an arrangement with
five fixed-line operators to build a broadband network to connect public schools in 3,440 municipalities by the end of 2010 (Gazeta Mercantil 2008). Even though the evidence in terms of measurable outcomes such as improved educational achievements and medical treatment results is not yet conclusive, there are numerous case examples pointing to the potential transformational impact of broadband connectivity on the effectiveness and efficiency of health and education service delivery (box 3.4). The greatest impact may be achieved in remote areas without direct access to critically needed medical specialists and qualified teachers. Moreover, many governments believe that broadband is becoming increasingly important for globalization. This is beginning to have a fundamental impact on how economies work and on the global allocation of resources—especially for developing countries, due to their greater integration in global value chains than ever before (OECD 2008).
Box 3.4 Broadband-Enabled Telemedicine The use of broadband-enabled telemedicine is widespread, both in developed and developing countries, yet there are few high-quality studies assessing its diagnostic efficacy and outcome capabilities. Many studies do not separate new opportunities offered by telemedicine from evaluations, which is required to adhere to standards of high-quality evidence. The best evidence for the effectiveness of telemedicine is in medical specialties for which verbal interactions are a key component of the patient assessment and when medical results comparable to in-person encounters can be achieved. In remote areas without direct access to critically needed medical specialists, broadband networks allow health professionals to care for patients living in different rural locations using videoconference facilities. In such cases, even if the evidence of improved medical outcome is not proven, rapid diagnosis and treatment, reduced costs and travel time for patients, and decreased medical errors are tangible benefits, especially in the context of the ever-falling costs of broadband connectivity solutions. The Aravind Eye Hospital in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu provides such a case in point. Using a wireless broadband network with speeds 100 times faster than a dial-up network, the hospital was able to connect five of its rural clinics in 2004 to provide eye services to thousands of rural residents. With high-speed links to the hospital, the clinics screen about 1,500 patients each month through a Web camera consulting with an Aravind doctor. This videoconferencing system enabled patients to have minor eye problems diagnosed and resolved locally; only those with more serious problems had to travel long distances to a hospital. Hence, patients were able to save on unnecessary travel time and cost, and avoided the corresponding loss in income. The hospital’s study also showed that 85 percent of the men and 58 percent of the women who had lost their jobs due to sight impairment were reintegrated into the workforce after treatment. Thereby, the hospital was also able to address the shortage of rural doctors through this broadband system, and the pilot project proved so successful after just 17 months that plans have been made to implement a similar system in 50 clinics serving half a million patients each year. Sources: Authors’ analysis; University of California Berkeley 2006.
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Information and Communications for Development 2009