Orange Healthcare Joins the mHealth Alliance to Develop Mobile Health Solutions in West Africa

• A partnership reflecting growing activity in the use of wireless technologies for mobile health solutions (mHealth);
• Building on the experience, contacts and technology expertise of each partner to develop mHealth projects that meet health needs in West Africa;
• A long-term goal: improving the healthcare sector and modernising medical practises through mobile devices and applications.

At the GSM Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Orange Healthcare announced today that they will be joining the mHealth Alliance, a partnership which leverages rapid advances in mobile technology to improve public health, healthcare systems and patient care in the  developing world. Orange Healthcare will begin working with the mHealth Alliance on projects focused in West Africa.

“We welcome this partnership with the mHealth Alliance to explore how we can leverage Orange’s assets and expertise to deliver health solutions in West Africa,” said Thierry Zylberberg, Executive Vice President of Orange Healthcare. He added: “The development of health solutions through mobile devices is revolutionizing healthcare delivery in developing countries. Orange Healthcare is already working on projects in Africa that are using mobiles to improve prevention efforts, patient care, treatment support and health data collection. Together, we will explore activities with appropriate local partners to deliver sustainable and scalable mHealth solutions in West Africa.”

“In West Africa and other parts of the developing world, there is still much work to be done to meet the UN Millennium Development Goals for global health, including reducing child mortality, improving maternal health and combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. Wireless technologies have an important role to play in delivering health solutions that support these goals, not least extending the reach of health services to populations living in remote areas and where there are shortages of medical professionals,” said David Aylward, Executive Director of the mHealth Alliance.

The mHealth Alliance was announced by the United Nations Foundation, Vodafone Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation at the February 2009 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, and builds off these Foundations’ investments in innovative technologies to support global health goals. It acts as an umbrella organization to complement, draw together and expand upon the mobile health initiatives of multiple organizations around the world.

Orange is present in several African countries, offering mobile networks. The Group and its local subsidiaries, alongside Non Governmental Organizations and health partners, have already started innovative mobile health projects, such as Mobinil and Orange Botswana supporting teledermatology initiatives. Other projects are under consideration in Kenya, Senegal, Burkina-Faso and Mali, and will be developed within the framework of the mHealth Alliance.

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About the mHealth Alliance:
The mHealth Alliance is dedicated to enabling the delivery of quality health to the farthest reaches of wireless networks in the developing world.  Its mission is to be a catalyst and accelerant, supporting leaders, celebrating successes, creating hard research, filling gaps, making connections, and forging public-private partnerships.  The Alliance was created by the Rockefeller Foundation, United Nations Foundation and Vodafone Foundation, and includes the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the GSM Association among its founding partners.  More information is available at www.mhealthalliance.org or info@mhealthalliance.org.

About Orange:
Orange is the key brand of France Telecom, one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators. With 123 million customers, the Orange brand now covers Internet, television and mobile services in the majority of countries where the Group operates. At the end of 2008, France Telecom had consolidated sales of 53.5 billion euros (12.7 billion euros for the first quarter of 2009) and at 29 April 2009, the Group had a customer base of almost 184 million customers in 30 countries. These include 123 million mobile customers worldwide and 13 million broadband Internet (ADSL) customers in Europe. Orange is the number three mobile operator and the number one provider of broadband Internet services in Europe and, under the brand Orange Business Services, is one of the world leaders in providing telecommunication services to multinational companies.

The Group’s strategy, which is characterized by a strong focus on innovation, convergence and effective cost management, aims to establish Orange as an integrated operator and benchmark for new telecommunications services in Europe. Today the Group remains focused on its core activities as a network operator, while working to develop its position in new growth activities. To meet customer expectations, the Group strives to provide products and services that are simple and user-friendly, while maintaining a sustainable and responsible business model that can be adapted to the requirements of a fast-paced and changing eco-system.

France Telecom (NYSE:FTE) is listed on Euronext Paris (compartment A) and on the New York Stock Exchange.

For more information: www.orange.com, www.francetelecom.com, www.orange-business.com

Press Contacts:
In Washington: Ingrid Madden + 1 202 887 9040
imadden@unfoundation.org
In Paris: Erika Gélinard + 00 33 (0)1 44 44 93 93
erika.gelinard@orange-ftgroup.com
In London: Coralie Esling: +44 207 395 7049
coralie.esling@fleishmaneurope.com and
Jo Dixon: +44 207 395 7111
joanna.dixon@fleishmaneurope.com