The Sunday News
Noble Ncube, Business Reporter
THE Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) has signed a $300 000 agreement with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) that will facilitate the introduction of telemedicine services in 2016 for rural clinics and hospitals.
ITU and Potraz signed a cooperation agreement last month for the extension of telemedicine services to rural and remote clinics and hospitals in Zimbabwe.
Through the new project, the Ministry of ICTs Postal and Courier Services of Zimbabwe will receive assistance from ITU in the development of e-health sector policies and regulations. The overall objective of the project is to use ICTs to improve delivery and provision of quality, cost effective, affordable and accessible health services, particularly to remote and disadvantaged areas.
In a statement, Potraz acting director general Baxton Sirewu praised the signing of the agreement saying it was a giant step in the quest to make ICTs relevant to all citizens and in this particular case to the most disadvantaged communities of Zimbabwe.
“This project is very important to Zimbabwe as it is meant to expand the Pan African e-network telemedicine from the main hub, Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare to provincial, district and rural health centres/clinics in order to improve access and delivery of medical services to our remote and rural areas.
“ICTs have become a vital component in Zimbabwe’s overall development objectives. The telemedicine project is a step towards safeguarding the welfare, prosperity and enduring happiness of all our citizens. The project will in no doubt improve the processes of consultation, diagnosis, treatment, distant learning in medical updates, prevention of epidemics, and delivery of medical services remotely including delivery of e-health services where distance is a critical factor. It will certainly demonstrate that ICTs can play a central role in accelerating the universalisation of healthcare service in Zimbabwe,” he said.
Sirewu said support in this project and other areas was going help Zimbabwe to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as stated in relation to health, goal 3 “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.”
Starting in January next year, remote public health facilities will be accessing telemedicine facilities that include online diagnosis, remote consultation for specific conditions, and communication of information such as broadcasting of alerts and updates on potential outbreaks.
In a separate statement, ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao said the agreement between Zimbabwe and the union strengthened relations between member states and his organisation.
“This agreement reinforces our commitment to work with member states to harness the power of ICTs to provide practical solutions to attain sustainable development,” said Zhao.
It is now a well-established fact that information and communication technologies (ICT) have a profound effect on all facets of our lives including the socio-economic, political and cultural aspects of society; they have become a vital cog for most national development frameworks; supporting public policy goals to secure the welfare, prosperity and enduring happiness of all citizens.
Director of ITU’s telecommunication development bureau, Brahima Sanou, said ICTs were making people’s lives better through making available services that are vital in society.
“In the rapidly expanding digital economy, ICTs are transforming people’s lives by improving their access to education, health care and government services.
“By integrating ICTs into its health delivery system, Zimbabwe will empower physicians and health facilities to expand their reach for the benefit of everyone, particularly the most disadvantaged,” he said.
The deal is the first direct involvement by Potraz in telemedicine and e-health. Telecoms operators in the country have had an interest in the telemedicine sector. Econet has made the most visible investment in this area has been made by Econet, with its Eco-Health services division working on products such as SMS-based alerts, connected health service, mobile health tips and dial-a-doctor services. State owned mobile telecoms operator, NetOne, also expressed an interest in e-health and in the first half of this year was reportedly piloting an eHealth service that would be supported by its LTE rollout and network upgrade.
