A tale of two applications: lessons learned from national LMIC COVID applications

Mobile health (mHealth) technologies in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have received increased attention for the significant potential benefits they can bring to underserved populations. As smartphones are becoming increasingly accessible, many stakeholders in the mHealth space have begun exploring smartphone applications as a means to impact individuals living within LMICs. With the COVID-19 pandemic straining healthcare systems around the world, many governments in LMICs turned to use smartphone applications to help support and manage their pandemic responses. By analyzing national COVID-19 applications created and launched by the Indian and Vietnamese governments, we highlight effective application functions and strategies, summarizing best practices for future LMIC application development.