Live from Mobile World Congress: Mobile operator Airtel Africa has announced a partnership with Indian vendor Verse Innovation to develop mass-market mobile health services for African consumers. The first such service is Mobile Health Tips which provides subscription-based advice via SMS. Other services Airtel plans to launch in the coming months include SMS appointment reminders for health institutions, a pan-African drug authentication service designed to prevent the use of counterfeit drugs and a medical helpline that enables consumers to call medical professionals for advice.

The first service, Mobile Health Tips, provides advice to subscribers across a range of categories including medical conditions such as malaria, cancer and HIV; life issues such as parenting, beauty & personal care and physical exercise; and nutritional information. All are delivered via SMS. Partner Verse is a value-added service supplier that specialises in developing markets.