M-PESA committed to Daktari Smart telemedicine program

M-PESA Foundation has committed towards a telemedicine program initiated by Gertrude’s Hospital Foundation which targets over 32,000 children in Samburu, Homabay, Baringo and Lamu Counties

The  Daktari Smart telemedicine program aims to reduce the number of referrals of sick children by allowing county health facilities to have access to specialists.

Gertrude’s Hospital Foundation will invest over Sh 35 million in the next 3 years to the program which also seeks to optimize the capacity and reach of healthcare delivery systems.

Michael Joseph, Chairman, M-PESA Foundation added that the program is also aimed at addressing the delays in receiving adequate healthcare in rural and underserved areas through telemedicine.

“Patients who would otherwise have to spend a significant amount of time and money to travel long distances to urban areas to seek care will now be able to receive specialist care from their local health facility,”  he said.

Les Baillie, the Chairman of Gertrude’s Hospital Foundation assured the hospital’s commitment to transform communities by improving access to quality healthcare services to needy and disadvantaged children in the country

“The Daktari Smart program will enable us to provide the much-needed

specialist care to children in far-flung areas, as well as develop appropriate data and information to support pediatric healthcare in the country,” Baille said.

Daktari Smart is a kit that compromises electronic medical devices such as the Electronic Stethoscope, Vital Signs Monitor, Derma scope Camera, Ultrasound Machine, Otoscope (examine the condition of the ear canal and eardrum) and the electrocardiogram (ECG) used to check the heart’s rhythm and electrical activity.

Unlike the conventional video conferencing, Daktari Smart allows the health care worker at the local partner health facilities, to place the electronic medical devices such as a stethoscope or vital signs monitor on the patient.

The specialist at Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital is then able to see the patient and hear the sounds in real-time without the interpretation from the health worker at the local facility.

Source: www.capitalfm.co.ke