The popularity of mobile phones in South Africa is helping to tackle HIV and Aids in the nation.

Project Masiluleke will send one million free text messages a day to push people to be tested and treated.

Approximately 350,000 people die of Aids-related diseases in the country every year.

Trials of the system showed that calls to counsellors at the National Aids helpline in Johannesburg increased by 200% when messages were broadcast.

“I think this is the largest ever use of mobile phones for health information,” said Gustav Praekelt, one of the project’s originators.

Test case

The United Nations estimates that there are currently six million people living with HIV in South Africa.

“South Africa is the epicentre of the global HIV epidemic,” said Zinny Thabethe, an HIV activist who is part of the project.

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