IntraHealth International Addresses Capacity Building and Open Source Technologies at Tech-Themed Global Health Conference

IntraHealth International will highlight its commitment to leveraging technology to benefit the people of the developing world during the 36th annual International Conference on Global Health in Washington D.C., May 26-30. Hosted by the Global Health Council, this year's conference, "New Technologies + Proven Strategies = Healthy Communities," focuses on the ways in which technologies in combination with best practices and evidence-based policies improve health around the world.

"IntraHealth wants to help strengthen local health workers' ability to identify, develop and implement appropriate technologies that support improved global health outcomes," says President and CEO Pape Gaye, who will speak as part of a special session, "The Big Choice: The Successes and Challenges of Open Source Technology."

The global nonprofit will host an evening ceremony at the conference celebrating its recently launched IntraHealth OPEN Initiative to benefit Africa's health workers. IntraHealth has partnered with Youssou N'Dour, Nas, Peter Buck of R.E.M. and a host of global leaders in music, technology and public health, to create and release a series of free MP3s in support of the campaign. Participating bands will be performing at the event including Afrissippi, Toubab Krewe, DJ Equal and Umar Bin Hassan of The Last Poets. IntraHealth and Indaba Music will announce the winner of the IntraHealth Global Music Remix Contest at the event, and premiere a clip from the new Youssou N'Dour biopic "I Bring What I Love."

An interactive expo hosted by the IntraHealth-led USAID Capacity Project will demonstrate resources and open source software designed to build local equity and expertise and help decision makers use data to lead and manage successfully.

IntraHealth's work is also featured in workshops and sessions on human resource and health management information systems, new technologies for supervision and Geographic Information Systems. Staff and partners from Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Mali, Senegal, South Africa, South Sudan, Rwanda and Uganda will be attending.

Concurrent with the conference, IntraHealth is holding the inaugural meeting of the IntraHealth OPEN Council, bringing global leaders and local innovators in technology and public health together to discuss eHealth strategies in the developing world.