Daily Times

KARACHI: A telemedicine project was inaugurated at New Karachi Hospital on Tuesday. The pediatric emergency room telemedicine site is supported by Child Life Foundation.

Speaking on the occasion, Health Secretary Dr Fazlullah Pechuho said that telemedicine was the way forward in health sector. “Telemedicine projects will not only help in improving rural healthcare, but also improve quality of care all over Sindh,” Pechuho said. Public-private partnership in health sector will pave the way for the inclusion of state-of-the-art facilities that will provide medical treatment to children in critical condition, he said.

Pechuho said inauguration of the technology will also help achieve objectives of the health policy. “We have been striving to protect people against chronic diseases, providing and upgrading modern health facilities and ensuring a dynamic health sector,” he added.

Sindh Government Hospital New Karachi Medial Superintendent Dr Asif Zaman Khan said that yjr project will set the precedent for future telemedicine sites in other districts of Sindh. “Telemedicine is the most effective and efficient source of providing treatment to children 24 hours of the day. This centre will set an example that how latest technology can be utilised for providing medical treatment and quality services to save the lives of the children. It is an honour for us that we are the part of this life saving campaign which will serve the community,” he said.

ChildLife Foundation CEO Dr Ahson Rabbani said that ChildLife was committed to the provision of quality healthcare for children across Pakistan. A high definition camera is installed in the children’s emergency room, and a senior doctor provides decision support from a central location at the head office, he stated. “Through virtual rounds, the senior doctor can monitor individual patients and provide expert consultation for their treatment on request by the on-ground staff.”

He said that ChildLife planned to replicate its telemedicine model in government hospitals in rural districts of Sindh, as it is accessible, affordable, and provides high quality patient care.

Published in Daily Times, November 29^th 2017.