As pointed out earlier in my blog on a new strategy for immunization incl. the polio campaign, the use of linking District and Provincial healthcare management with local healthcare providers via Information & Communication Technology (ICT), keeping them informed for and about disease prevention, as well as prevalence, can be effectively used in Mother-& Child-Healthcare (MCH-Care), particularly for ante-natal, post-natal & emergency obstetric and newborn healthcare.
Local healthcare providers, LHWs, Dispensers, LHVs, BHUs, RHCs, as well as private providers, operate a smart-phone loaded with software, that allows entering of symptoms, preliminary diagnostic data of a patient and transmitting it to the nearest tertiary gynae or pediatric healthcare facility, where their receiving computer software grades the information into three levels of urgency, immediate, medium, routine, and accordingly informs/alarms the relevant medical doctor for advice to the local healthcare provider. Relevant software has been developed at FAST- as well as at NUST University in Islamabad.
The system should also measure and provide information about timely or delay in response to the District-& Provincial Healthcare authorities, and Health Management Information System (HMIS) about daily availability of staff and ambulance services, stock of medicines etc. and status of equipment.
– End –
Dr. Hans Frey
Member
Pakistan Polio Plus Committee
Rotary International
Hans Frey says
Would like in to share new info n ICT technology for MCHCare: just saw a program on Al Jazeera TV/English program: ‘The Cure’ showing the introduction of a hand-held V-Scan doing an ultrasound imaging for ante-natal examination, operated by a para-medical and transmitting it to a gynaecologist in Indonesia.
Hans Frey says
Thank you for the comment Kiren. Regarding your question about public-private partnership, there may be some support at higher levels, but for support at the field level, considerable attitudinal change is required.
Mariam M says
Thank you fo sharing your thoughts- information technology is definitely a potential within Pakistan that needs to be tapped
kiran iqbal says
I think that such inititives are only possible through strong public-private partnerships.
Do you think that would work in Pakistan?
Hira says
So many countries are benefiting from mHealth. It is high time that the Pakistani Government willl make use of such a resource as has Kenya and other parts of the world.