Mobile Money for Health Case Study Compendium

The five-year, $209 million global project seeks to increase the use of primary and priority health services, including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and reproductive health services. The project is designed to fundamentally strengthen health systems, supporting countries as they navigate economic transitions needed to achieve universal healthcare. Globally, 2.5 billion people are "unbanked," lacking access to formal financial services. However, a billion of these individuals have access to a mobile phone, and mobile-based financial services are closing the financial access gap. Mobile financial services now cover more than 60 percent of developing markets, reaching an estimated 299 million registered mobile money users, of whom 103 million are estimated to be active. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is committed to accelerating the adoption and uptake of mobile money to increase financial inclusion, root out corruption, and provide economic benefits to communities. Mobile phone usage is one of the fastest-spreading technological innovations of recent years. From 2000-2010, mobile phone subscriptions increased by more than 1,500 percent in low- and middle-income countries, from 4 to 72 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. As access to mobile phones expands in developing markets, money transfer systems based on mobile phone technology are being leveraged to tackle development challenges across many different sectors, including agriculture, education, finance, and health. Mobile money has grown rapidly as a substitute for cash in developing countries. More than 70 countries have implemented mobile money platforms as alternatives to traditional cash payment systems or formal financial services, the majority of which are located in sub-Saharan Africa. These systems enable funds to be deposited, transferred, and withdrawn electronically through mobile phone accounts, bringing financial services to the previously un- and underbanked. The 14 mobile money programs profiled in this compendium span a range of countries, health topics, and application types. These programs aim to promote the use of mobile money in health programs, both as a catalyst for uptake in communities and to strengthen health systems. The compendium seeks to expand the knowledge base on mobile money in the health sector by drawing out trends from existing programs and examining what's worked, what hasn't, and why, while documenting recommendations and insights from past and current practitioners for future adaptation. The programs profiled in this compendium include Pathfinder Kenya, TB REACH – Indus Hospital, IRD – Zindagi Mehfooz, Aponjon (MAMA Bangladesh), Paywast, Accredited Social Health Activists, ARA – Ubuntu Afya Unit, CCBRT – Text to Treatment, D-TREE Tanzania, Microensure Tanzania, Marie Stopes Madagascar, Kenya National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), L'Union Technique de la Mutualite Malienne, and Movercado. These programs demonstrate the potential of mobile money to improve healthcare financing and transactions, increase financial inclusion, and provide economic benefits to communities.