IntraHealth Tackles Global Health Care: Aided by Music, Open Source, and Public Health Pioneers
by Kristin Shoemaker - Feb. 11, 2009Comments (2)- Related Blog Posts
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Public health workers are increasingly looking at open source solutions to aid in gathering data, analyzing trends, and publicizing and launching new health care initiatives worldwide.
IntraHealth's OPEN Initiative is taking a colorful approach to improving health services in developing nations -- by bringing together health workers and (not at all health care specific) open source projects to train and support doctors and nurses using open source software in these areas. Because funding is always an issue (in public health and open source, alas) IntraHealth has gotten some help from some legends in the music industry, who have put together a charity album to raise awareness for the Initiative's efforts, as well as offset program costs.
The album, dubbed "OPEN Remix" features the work of Youssou N'Dour, with contributions by Nas, Duncan Sheik, Gavin Hardkiss, and R.E.M.'s Peter Buck. The songs are available under a Creative Commons Non-Commercial, No Derivatives, Share Alike license. The songs are free, but donations of any amount are greatly appreciated.
Many well-known open source projects are represented on IntraHealth's OPEN Council, including Red Hat, the Linux Foundation, the GNOME Foundation, the OSU Open Source Lab, the Open Source Software Institute, Zenoss, Canonical and the non-profit tech portal Tech Soup Global. With the help of this group (and the entertainment and health partners who sit on the Council with them), IntraHealth hopes to increase awareness and pique the interest of private partners who can help expand the program.
Using open source software in this capacity, in this setting, makes an enormous amount of sense. IntraHealth's focus on training, support, and building the infrastructure gives the project more than a chance at widespread adoption -- it is giving the project, and the people it serves, the chance to thrive.
