AN e-network Telemedicine digitisation pilot project in Manicaland has scored positives, as disadvantaged patients from remote areas have embraced the low-cost initiative programme, a senior medical practitioner has said.
BY KENNETH NYANGANI
The project, the first of its kind in the country, has been running for almost a year in Nyanga and was being spearheaded by Nyanga district doctor Admore Jokwiro.
Jokwiro was among the health practitioners who attended a week-long training workshop in the resort town on e-network tele-medicine project organised by the Postal Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) in partnership with International Telecommunications Union (ITU).
The government was making strides through Potraz and ITU to implement the project countrywide to address the issue of low doctor-to-patient ratio in rural clinics and hospitals.
Already, 12 sites in Nyanga and Chimanimani in Manicaland province have been identified by the government and these will be connected to Mutare General Hospital and Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals.
In an interview with NewsDay Weekender on the sidelines of the workshop on Thursday, Jokwiro said he was happy with the success of the pilot project, where patients were seeking medical assistance from their respective remote areas through video conferencing.
He said the project had reduced the burden of low doctor-to-patient ratio in rural clinics, particularly in Nyanga.
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Jokwiro said rural patients have been benefiting immensely at the initiative reduced the cost of travelling to seek medical assistance from doctors at referral points.
“Telemedicine is whereby patient information is sent at a distance through computers or phones to be able to facilitate diagnosis,” Jokwiro said.
“Here in Nyanga, it has been deployed at a number of clinics and tents. The training workshop is to prepare the participants to be ready for their deployment of this project for them to be able to connect patients with doctors remotely through live video-conferencing.
“People here have been travelling long distances to seek assistance from doctors, but with this facility, we can help them from their respective areas. So this is a cost-saving programme. Travelling around is a difficult thing here because of the terrain.”
Nyanga has six doctors serving a population of 131 000. This translates to one doctor per 55 000 people.
South Africa-based ITU co-ordinator, Wikus van der Merwe, who facilitated the workshop, said most African countries should embrace the project to solve the low doctor-to-patient ratio affecting the continent.
