The plan will have a particular focus on nutrition across Sub-Saharan Africa. Samsung is joined at launch phase by Gemalto, Hello Doctor, Lifesaver, Mobenzi, Mobilium, MTN and Omega Diagnostics. This initiative could have far-reaching impact; according to GSMA Intelligence, there is a total annual, addressable market of 15.5 million pregnant women and mothers with children under five years of age.

The partners will jointly introduce services in seven countries  – South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia – from September 2014. Phase two will incorporate additional partners, services and address four more countries in 2015: Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. The partnership will reduce barriers to handset ownership and connectivity for consumers and health workers by committing to:

· Offer discounted Samsung handsets and tablets to consumers and health workers across Africa;

· Provide access to the Samsung ecosystem, to be used as an incentive to drive health usage;

· Pre-embed a Smart Health application that provides a range of professional applications, information and services on 80 million Samsung handsets;

· Leverage existing and new MTN SIMs to allow free access to health content, health registration and data collection via the Smart Health application;

·  Provide simplified access to MTN mobile money, advertising and billing capabilities; and

· Make innovative diagnostics like the Omega Diagnostics Visitect HIV CD4 point of care solution more affordable and accessible via mobile integration.

Mike van Lier divisional head of Enterprise Business Team (EBT), Samsung Electronics, South Africa said: “Healthcare in South Africa and the entire African continent has benefited greatly from advancements in technology. Simultaneously, the healthcare industry is moving towards a delivery model that is more patient-centered, value-based and accessible in even remote environments. Samsung is perfectly positioned to add value to this digital evolution in healthcare, as our mobile devices are both at the cutting edge of innovation and widely available across the continent. These capabilities provide the much needed healthcare support in Africa, ensuring that we are aligned with the Millennium Development Goals as set by the United Nations.”