Unique challenges experienced during the process of implementing mobile health information technology in developing countries

Background Healthcare in developing countries faces a number of challenges due to economic constraints, poor infrastructure, a shortage of trained clincial staff, extreme climate and geographical barriers among others. Information and communication technologies are seen as one approach to address these issues and improve inequalities in healthcare facing low and middle income countries. In particular mobile Information Technology (IT) is being explored as an underarching framework due to its portability, flexibility, low cost, and widespread network coverage [1]. However implementing mobile IT in this context presents a number of unique barriers. Current research in this domain focuses on barriers of generic IT adoption without considering the specifics of mobile technology. Furthermore, there is a lack of emphasis on the different phases of the implementation process and what barriers emerge during each of these.