In 2003, the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) brought together key players from around the globe to begin deliberations on how to bridge the digital divide that separates rich from poor countries. The ambitious mission included a target to connect health centres and hospitals. The health sector is recognised as information intensive; processing the vast volumes of data generated can no longer efficiently be done manually. Today, ICT is becoming central to the effective operation of health systems and services, although progress is uneven.