Pop!Tech Launches Initiative Aimed at Deploying Software To Support HIV Education, Counseling in Africa
Pop!Tech, an annual conference aimed at fueling social and environment changes through technology and innovation, recently launched a new initiative that seeks to deploy clinical software to support HIV education and counseling, as well as treatment adherence, in South Africa, the Boston Globe reports. The initiative, called Project Masiluleke, is part of the Pop!Tech program Pop!Tech Accelerator, according to the Globe. The initiative was launched during the most recent three-day annual conference held in Camden, Mass., which drew 600 scientists, technologists, business leaders, futurists and artists, the Globe reports.Conference organizers solicited human resources and financial support for the initiative from the University of Connecticut Center for Health, Intervention and Prevention; Frog Design, a strategic and creative consulting firm that will customize the software for South African users; and iTeach, a tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS education and care organization based in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province. Conference organizers began developing the idea for Project Masiluleke when they discovered that conference attendees had created corporate citizenship programs based on discussions held at the meetings.
Pop!Tech Accelerator will provide operational and project management support for Project Masiluleke and other initiatives worldwide to ensure that projects are documented thoroughly, Andrew Zolli, Pop!Tech curator and global trend analyst, said. Project Masiluleke is named for the Zulu word that means to counsel, the Globe reports (Freeman Roth, Boston Globe, 10/22). This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
