PC partnership significantly contributes to 10 fold increase in ICT access for Moldova’s health care workers

Through Bupa’s generous donations of both equipment and funds Digital Links has been able to distribute more than 2,000 PCs for use in health centres, educational institutions and orphanages in Moldova.

Since 2006 Bupa has provided almost £90,000 to Digital Links which has enabled access to more than 2,050 machines. Recipients of these computers include Moldova’s Republican Hospital for Children, the Institute of Cardiology and the Ministry of Education. By making this donation, Bupa have helped to dramatically transform the landscape of Moldovan healthcare and education.

Although Europe is prosperous, Moldova is one of the poorest nations in the region with a large foreign debt and high and growing unemployment. This level of economic disparity leads to knowledge disparity, as a lack of infrastructure and access to technology increases both the digital and knowledge divides. While 50% of inhabitants in Germany, for instance, have internet access in their homes, less than 10% of households in Moldova have access to even the most basic ICT.

Bupa wish to help provide the technological tools needed for healthcare and education in Moldova as many medical institutions suffer from a serious lack of ICT infrastructure. Computers are invaluable for healthcare, providing a means to streamline administration and access real-time information. In orphanages and schools PCs give underprivileged children access to a vast array of educational software, as well as the skills needed to find work.

Mark Ralf, Group Purchasing, Property & eCommerce Director at Bupa says, “We value our relationship with Digital Links. Through them we have an efficient and environmentally responsible solution for the reuse of our surplus IT equipment, and with a relatively small contribution we can make a tremendous impact on the healthcare and education of a country with a significant need.”

Indeed, while in 2004 1.6% of health care workers in Moldova had access to a PC, now more than 15% of the sector can take advantage of streamlined processes, improved reporting and more effective patient care processes through the use of ICTs. This is an outstanding and rapid improvement facilitated by Digital Links’ unique partnership model whereby redundant computers from UK-based partners are reused in developing countries across Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe. In less than 6 years Digital Links has provided first access to IT for more than 1.5 million young people, and we intend to do more.

NOTES:

Digital Links is a social enterprise that provides IT equipment and solutions for education, small businesses and health units in the world’s poorest areas. Technology can provide incredible opportunities for improved health, education, and economic growth.

Through partnership with corporations such as Bupa, Digital Links have provided over 65,000 computers to schools, hospitals and NGOs across Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe.

The Digital Links model offers a practical solution to the needs of developing countries, but also to the UK environmental challenge of e-waste. Every year, in the UK alone, 3 million PCs will end up in landfill. To create just one PC takes 1.8 tons of raw materials. Donating to Digital Links helps to make sure that computers are used to their maximum capacity.

Since its creation in 2002, over 1.5 million people have gained their first access to IT through Digital Links.