Sanofi joins Be He@lthy, Be Mobile initiative Partnership harnessing power of ICTs to deliver health-care solutions

5 March 2015

Geneva, 26 February 2015 – Multinational pharmaceutical firm Sanofi has joined the International Telecommunication Union’s Be He@lthy, Be Mobile initiative, which ITU leads in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO).

Be He@lthy Be Mobile partners include Bupa, Verizon, The World Lung Foundation, the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA), the Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Alliance, Novartis and GSK. Participating organizations are currently contributing to the initiative through funds, in-kind contributions and knowledge, as well as supporting country projects. They will join forces to provide multidisciplinary expertise, health information and mobile technology to fight chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular and chronic respiratory diseases, in low- and middle-income countries.
“With nearly 7 billion mobile subscriptions worldwide today, harnessing the potential of mobile devices to address global challenges, such as health care, is now within reach,” said ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao. “The participation of Sanofi in Be He@lthy, Be Mobile highlights the significance of investing in technologies which already sit in people’s pockets, empowering them to manage their own health: m-Health is an opportunity to create a continuum of care from prevention advice to disease support.”

“Mobile phones are increasingly becoming additional tools in the global quest to improve health-care delivery systems,” said Mr Brahima Sanou, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau. “This partnership reinforces our commitment to work with industry to harness the power of ICTs to promote sustainable economic development around the world.”
Launched in October 2012, the Be He@lthy, Be Mobile initiative will implement mobile technology and m-Health strategies to prevent and treat Non-Communicable Diseases in eight priority countries.
Programmes currently underway include an m-Tobacco Cessation project in Costa Rica and an m-Diabetes programme in Senegal. Planning is in progress for programmes in the Philippines, Tunisia, the United Kingdom, Norway and Zambia.

“Becoming the strategic partner in ITU’s m-Diabetes initiative is a natural step in Sanofi’s pledge to take a leading role in delivering meaningful advancements for people living with diabetes,” explained Ms Pascale Witz, Executive Vice President at Sanofi Global Divisions & Strategic Development. “Together, with governments, policy makers and other private companies at the forefront of global health and innovation, we aim to support the harnessing of mobile and other technologies to enable learning and positive action among people who are affected by diabetes in our increasingly connected world.”

“Sanofi’s global reach and diabetes knowledge will help expand the excellent pilot work undertaken in Senegal,” added Mr Pierre Chancel, Senior Vice President at Sanofi Global Diabetes. “Through Sanofi’s support, the Be He@lthy, Be Mobile initiative will employ successful mobile strategies for people with diabetes and their caregivers, and provide access to training for health workers in additional countries around the world, furthering our aim of bringing about far-reaching improvements in diabetes management, treatment and care.”