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The use of mobile and wireless technologies has the potential to transform the face of health service delivery across the globe. There are reportedly more than 7 billion mobile telephone subscriptions across the world, over 70% of which are in low- or middle- income countries. In many places, people are more likely to have access to a mobile telephone than to clean water. As a global society, we are also facing a looming threat of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which kill 41 million people each year, around 71% of all deaths.

To address this challenge, the Be He@lthy, Be Mobile (BHBM) initiative was set up by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Telecommunication union (ITU) in 2012. BHBM works with governments to scale up targeted client communication messaging services for NCDs and their risk factors. Millions of people have already been reached through the programmes and evaluation shows that they are impacting positively on users’ health.

The approach is designed to be scalable: instead of promoting specific products, it provides cross-cutting health content and technical support which can be used and incorporated into other services and applications. It also works to develop the broader ecosystem, helping ensure that the messaging service and content of each health programme is integrated and reinforces other health services. In doing so, each programme becomes a sustainable part of the health system whilst also helping to promote health and wellbeing around the world.

The initiative’s immediate objective is to continue expanding the number of countries it works with and the variety of diseases it addresses.

Publications

28 April 2020

Be Healthy, Be Mobile: A handbook on how to implement mHypertension

This handbook provides step-by-step guidance for developing and implementing an mHealth programme to support people with hypertension in achieving...

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20 November 2019

Be He@lthy, Be Mobile: personas toolkit

This handbook provides guidance on how to use "personas" to design content and delivery mechanisms for mHealth programmes by keeping users at the core...

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10 November 2019

Be he@lthy, be mobile: a handbook on how to implement mTB-Tobacco

The Be He@lthy, Be Mobile initiative is a global partnership led by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Telecommunication Union...

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18 April 2018

Be Healthy, Be Mobile: A handbook on how to implement mAgeing

Health information, advice, and reminders delivered through mobile phones can encourage healthy behaviors and help older people to improve and maintain...

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2 January 2018

Mobile Health for Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Respiratory Disease (mBreatheFreely)

The use of mobile technology including short message service (SMS), mobile phone applications (apps), and telemedicine is increasingly considered as a...

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3 January 2016

Mobile Health for Cervical Cancer (mCervicalCancer)

Digital health and technology can play an important role in supporting ongoing efforts to heighten the prevention, control and management of cervical cancer....

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2 January 2016

Mobile Health for Diabetes Prevention and Management (mDiabetes)

A population-based diabetes prevention programme should account for the wide diversity of individuals and their motivation to change their lifestyle. While...

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12 January 2015

Mobile Health for Tobacco Cessation (mTobaccoCessation)

There is extensive evidence that mobile phone-based support for smoking cessation is effective. The main objective of this handbook is to assist countries...

Download Read More Digital Health and InnovationDigital Health TechnologiesWHO InnovationDigital ChannelsCapacity building and collaborationWHO Digital Health Technical Advisory GroupSMART Guidelines

Be healthy, be mobile

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Related health topics

Non-communicable diseases

Cancer

Diseases and conditions

Diabetes

Substances

Tobacco

Non-communicable diseases

Chronic respiratory diseases

6 May 2024

Asthma

13 November 2025

Tuberculosis

Resources

• Annual report 2018
• Annual report 2017
• Annual report 2016
• Annual report 2015
• Annual report 2014

Related links

• Be He@lthy, Be Mobile - Innovations
• Be He@lthy, Be Mobile - country programmes
• EU mHealth Hub Project - Horizon 2020
• mCessation results in India
• mDiabetes results in Senegal
• BHBM @ ITU

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