Develop telemedicine tools to supplement COVID-19 healthcare delivery—Ex President Mahama
Develop telemedicine tools to supplement COVID-19 healthcare delivery—Ex President Mahama
Former President John Dramani Mahama has emphasised the need for development in telemedicine-tools to improve quality healthcare delivery in the country.
According to him, the country needed urgent and efficient means in handling pandemics such as COVID-19 to enhance access to quality healthcare.
The ex President in a televised address explained that in addition to the construction and provision of modern and well-equipped health facilities, availability in telemedicine tools could make access to quality healthcare easier and better for Ghanaians.
“We have to develop telemedicine tools to support the construction and provision of modern and well-equipped health facilities across the country. This will make it easier for every Ghanaian to access quality healthcare,” he said.
Former President Mahama indicated that the outbreak of COVID-19 has demonstrated yet again that a strong healthcare system was vital for any country.
He maintained that access to healthcare is a human right, therefore the approach in dealing with it should be very innovative to make it effective and efficient.
His appeal came in a wake of the announcement made by the President, Nana Akufo-Addo in his sixth address, that 88 hospitals would be constructed as part of the renewed focus on the health sector following the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The President stated that the district hospitals would be standard 100-bed facilities and would come with an accommodation for staffs.
The President also said there were plans for the construction of six new regional hospitals in the six new regions and the rehabilitation of the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Sekondi-Takoradi.
The World Health Organization (WHO) refers to telemedicine as “healing from a distance.”
It is the use of telecommunications and information technologies to provide remote clinical services to patients.
Physicians use telemedicine for the transmission of digital imaging, video consultations and remote medical diagnosis.
The concept of telemedicine and telehealth could be still new to providers and physicians since the healthcare centres are not well equipped with modern technologies, the workers to are not advanced to adopt technology in healthcare delivery.
However, the continuous advances in technology and healthcare innovation have greatly expanded its usability.
Moreover, the demand from the new generation of the tech-savvy population has pushed for its rapid adoption due to the convenience, cost-saving and intelligent features it brings.
It is now a matter of time for the healthcare system, medical group, providers and even solo practitioners integrate telemedicine as part of their medical services offering.
To the ex President developing the telemedicine tools would help develop the country and improve healthcare standards, adding that “together we can build our motherland, Ghana.”
BY JOYCELINE NATALLY CUDJOE
