15 new telemedicine sites for remote communities

MINISTER of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, said that remote communities, in 2023, will benefit from 15 new telemedicine sites in Region One (BarimaWaini), Region Seven (Cuyuni Mazaruni), Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and Region Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo).

The health minister disclosed that during the launch of a biomedical training programme at the National Racquet Centre on Friday.

“This year, we are adding 15 more sites, so we will be putting four in Region One, four in Region Seven, four in Region Eight and four more in Region Nine,” he said.

The telemedicine system allows doctors in the capital city to easily contact community health workers (CHWs) in rural communities.

He noted that they have to start using more technology to do medicine.

Further, he said that they had started four pilot sites where telemedicine was being done. However, the health sector requires persons to maintain computers, connectivity, internet, and devices.

“We need people who understand how to fix these things and maintain them,” the health minister related.

He added that they would need technicians in the area of digital health which will require a training programme.

“So, that is a course that will [be] run and we will have to look for suitable partners who can help us in doing that,” he noted.

The government has set aside some $1.8 billion to implement the telemedicine programme in isolated Amerindian communities.

The National Telemedicine Programme, a pilot project, was officially launched in December 2022 in Masakenari, ‘Gunns Village’ and is being carried out in other remote communities, including Nappi, Yupukari, and Parikwarinau in Region Nine.