Health care in Zambia is done by hospitals in urban areas and small health posts and health centres in rural districts. How ICT can improve the current situation of the local health care is shown by the following example.

The health post at Mabombo is a small health centre in the countryside, about 40km away from the next big village Macha. This post consists of a tiny house with a waiting room, an examination room and a sickroom. A doctor and two nurses are responsible for about 8000 residents of this area. The building has neither a water connection nor any current supply. Also there is no mobile communication available. The only communication possibility is letter post. If additional medicines are needed, it takes days until the subscription reaches the administration and the medicines are sent to the health post. Often patients have to collect the needed medicines at the next hospital themselves, without knowing whether they are available there. Also if a treatment is not possible locally, the patients need to travel to the next hospital on their own. If they are not lucky enough to be picked up by a passing vehicle (e.g., on top of the truckload) the patient must walk 40km by foot to Macha.

What the local medical staff expects from the Internet connection is the possibility to communicate with the hospital, other health centres of the region and the administration in Kalomo. By using phone and email they hope to be able to order drugs in time, to consult with colleagues as well as to announce patients at the next hospital.