Center for Health Market Innovations (CHMI)

Programs

The Telemedicine Project-Tanzania

last updated Apr 6, 2012

Overview

Implementing organization: 
Evangelical Lutheran Church Tanzania (ELCT)
Legal Status: 
Private (not-for-profit)
Year Launched: 
2007
Stage: 
Existing/expansion stage
Income Level of Target Population: 
Bottom 20%, 20-60% (lower to lower-middle)

Funding

Primary Source of Funding: 
Donor
Funders: 
Evangelical Lutheran Church Tanzania (ELCT), IICD

Technology

Technology Used: 
Phones › Apps/Software, Computer › Apps/Software, Phones › Internet, Computer › Internet, PDA/Tablet › Video-Conference, Phones › Voice, Camera (Video/Photo)
Technology Purpose: 
Improving Data Management › Data Collection, Extending Geographic Access, Facilitating Patient Communications › General Health Education, Improving Diagnosis and Treatment

Scale

Number of Facilities Operated/Networked: 
20 hospitals, 5 paramedical institutions, over 160 dispensaries and health centres
Summary: 

Tanzania 's Telemedicine Project aims to introduce telemedicine in Tanzania, and to develop best practices and a platform for awareness raising, knowledge exchange and policymaking in this field.

Program goals/rationale: 

In Tanzania, most people are based in rural areas where access to health care is poor. Yet the epicentre of healthcare expertise and resources remains in the cities. Isolation from the rest of the medical world, lack of up-to-date reference material and lack of consultation possibilities has led to low quality of diagnosis in rural areas. People who can afford it come to cities for their health care at an enormous cost. Telemedicine is particularly beneficial for patients because they can receive specialist consultations in their local hospital, where they would be willing to pay for quality care.

Key program components: 

Training for the project was conducted for medical doctors from 14 hospitals in the Northern zone of the country. The training included the use of iPath, a web-based consultation system, digital camera use, and the use of i-teach for distance learning. In the first two months of operation (March and April of 2008) approximately 60 consultations took place. Most consultations were in internal medicine, pediatrics, radiology and dermatology. Once a doctor starts to use the system, s/he generally continues to employ it in his practice.

The longer-term objectives of the project are the following:

  • To establish an online consultation network operating between 43 health facilities, where about 100 consultations are taking place weekly, of which 20% are second opinions. The effect of telemedicine on the quality of consultations of participating health workers will be measured and recommendations for improvement will be developed.
  • To integrate telemedicine with e-learning and develop (or join) the online Tanzanian Virtual Campus. Based on monitoring and improvements, recommendations will be made to institutionalize the integration of telemedicine and e-learning.
  • To provide a platform of exchange and alignment of telemedicine initiatives in Tanzania and to seek their close involvement in the realization of the above-mentioned objectives.
  • To develop a set of recommendations to facilitate the integration and further development of telemedicine in the Tanzanian health sector.
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