A Doctor in Your Pocket: Health Hotlines in Developing Countries

daughter, Rubina, has been complaining of fatigue and has felt warm to the touch. Taking the child to the nearest clinic would cost Afiya a day’s lost wages, round-trip bus fare, and clinic fees of Taka 200 (U.S. $3). Instead, Afiya and her husband use the family’s mobile phone to dial “7-8-9,” the Healthline hotline service set up by TRCL, Ltd., a telemedicine firm, and GrameenPhone, the country’s largest mobile network operator. The family quickly reaches Dr. Quadri at Healthline’s call center in Dhaka. After asking a few questions, Dr. Quadri tells her to give Rubina small regular doses of paracetamol, available at neighborhood shops. For the threeminute call, Afiya pays only Taka 15 (U.S. $0.21) from her family’s GrameenPhone prepaid talk-time balance. Afiya is not the only person seeking basic medical advice and information by calling a health hotline. Telephone-based nurse triage, primary care, and health information have been offered in developed countries since the late 1990’s, and