MicroClinic Technologies Digital Health System (Lamu - Kenya)
MicroClinic Technologies Digital Health System (Lamu - Kenya)
Lamu, a small city in Kenya, had been experiencing a severe lack of health experts and the public healthcare system was inefficient and low quality. Citizens often had to travel long distances (a time consuming and expensive process) to get proper care, which led to frequent delays in diagnosis and treatment and, consequently, citizens’ health condition worsened.
The government had poor access to specific real-time health data, difficulties managing the medicine inventory, and lack of knowledge about the necessary investment in training, facilities renewal or staff recruitment.
With new technologies such as internet connections (fibre or mobile) and grid or solar electricity being used in an increasing number of health facilities, these challenges can be addressed, and a better public healthcare system can be created.
MicroClinic Technologies is providing a digital health system (HIS), which enables remote consultations and doctor training through video conferencing, to face these issues.
The work is being developed in partnership with the Ministries of Health and ICT in Kenya (central government). At global level the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) are also involved to ensure the initiative aligns with national policy, meets the global sustainable development goals, and can be scaled up and replicated in other cities and countries.
This project is aligned with the “Every Woman Every Child” initiative of the UN, and the goal to eliminate poverty and build health systems in underserved communities across the globe.
Sources:
http://www.smartcityexpo.com/en/transforming-healthcare
http://www.microclinictech.com/index.php/component/content/article?id=53
Improved Health for Citizens.
Description of the specific objectives:
- Promoting social integration and equity;
- Transforming the public healthcare system in Kenya through ICT;
- Ensuring that all citizens have access to proper medical and health services, improving their quality of life.
MicroClinic Technologies Ltd.; Huawei; Ministry of Health and Ministry of ICT of the Government of Kenya; ITU; WHO; County Government of Lamu.
- The government has a lack of knowledge about the areas that need attention in the public healthcare system;
- Limited resources make it difficult to allocate the necessary financial investment in the healthcare sector, but this process has to be guaranteed;
- Ensure that the initiative can be scaled up and replicated.
- Internet connectivity through the new fibre network that covers all major cities in Kenya (and a 3G network in smaller cities);
- Huawei Matebooks and ZiDi software in health facilities, improving the efficiency of various services: reporting and billing, managing commodities and staffing, managing patients and communicating with them;
- Cloud synching and real-time web portal for managing and sharing medical records and patient referrals with the government and referral centres;
- Real-time video conferencing, enabling remote consultations for patients and training sessions for health staff.
The initiative involves the building of a network of health facilities provided with power, ICT devices and software, and internet connectivity to achieve sustainable and visible improvements in the whole public healthcare system. This solution is facility-centered and patient-centric.
- MicroClinic Technologies won the “Innovative Global South Award” at the 2016 Smart City Expo World Congress Barcelona;
- Delivery of more reliable data on disease trends to governmental entities;
- Earlier, cheaper, and better diagnosis and treatment of diseases,
- Better trained health workforce;
- The public healthcare system is more efficient;
- Over 8,000 patients have been served since the digitisation of the health system in Lamu;
- 28 facilities in Lamu have already been digitised, benefitting 200,000 people.