Prof Chukwuma Soludo, the executive governor of Anambra State will lunch Telemedicine inorder to boost healthcare in the state in two weeks’ time.
Telemedicine is the utilization of modern communication technology including telephone , phone camera, e-mailing and texting in medicine. This initiative will be used to remotely diagnosis and treat patients from any corner and location in Anambra State.
Speaking on behalf of the government, Dr Afam Obidike, the Commissioner for Health said, “Our plan is to give residents of Anambra quality healthcare,” as he interacted with the public and journalists.
“It is an innovative way of getting access and delivering healthcare through digital devices such as the mobile device and computers.
“We are aware that we have shortage of health personnel in some hospitals when we took over office. We cannot prevent the issue of brain drain, but we are not perturbed.
“This is why Gov. Charles Soludo is working to ensure that Anambra becomes one of the states to implement what we call telemedicine.
“Telemedicine can prospectively improve the health and well-being of people by making up for the shortage in healthcare personnel, reduce delays in accessing healthcare due to distance and increase access to quality health.
“We have reached advanced stage of the agreement with some partners that came in from U.S. and UK recently and we are having positive discussions.”
The commissioner also said that the Ministry of Health was waiting for the governor’s approval to commence employment of health personnel.
“I have visited about six general hospitals unannounced since I resumed office and it is so sad to see that some hospitals do not have doctors, while some workers do not report to work.
“So, in terms of monitoring of health personnel, we are planning to have a health management information system in hospitals whereby workers will clock-in and it will reflect attendance to work,” he concluded.
Governor Soludo with this initiative is unraveling the ‘ Soludo Solution’ in tackling many of the problems including health issues confronting the state. Telemedicine will cost down cost and enhance health wellbeing of the citizens when fully implemented.
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