„ Use ICT to enable equity acces to quality care to all“

1. Investigating need for eHealth education and research in AfricaGhislain Kouematchoua TchuitcheuE-Mail: ghislain.k@koegni-ehealth.org „Use ICT toenableequityaccestoqualitycareto all“

2. Programme • eHealth in Africa • Health situation and challenges in Africa • eHealthprojects in Africa – areas covered • eHealthprojects in Africa - Sustainability • Whyehealtheducation and research in Africa • How to enhanceeHealthresearch and educationcapacity in SSA - Initiative of the Koegni-eHealth

3. Health system in Africa Health systems in Africa have to deal with several health problems which increasingly affect the economically active population In order to carry out strategic planning, decision-makers need reliable data which are not readily available Drastic shortage of professionals is an obstacle to a good healthcare of the general population In urban, sub-urban and rural areas Clinicians, Patient, and other active players need support throughout the care process Development of locally appropriate eHealth-solution for African countries

4. eHealth-Project in SSA Current projects cover mostly the following areas: Electronic medical record, Hospital Information Systems, Electronic Data Exchange, Telemedicine, and Tele-education Main motivation behind these projects Provide a better work environment to health workers in rural areas and sub-urban areas Contribute to the fight against the principal health crisis in this region: HIV/AIDS, Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis, and Malaria.

5. HI-Project in SSA - Sustainability Positive factor on hand Current development in ICT sector cost-reduction in ICT products, and improvement of computer literacy Negative factors Lack of well trained local stakeholders Design, development, and financing of most project to a great extent by international partners Sustainability of projects mostly depends on foreign resources

6. Why HI Education and research in SSA Implementation reports have recognized the necessity to get trained stakeholders or at least to achieve more computer literacy “Computer literacy and knowledge of the role that computing and communications technology can and should play in the health-care system are different”, Shortliffe, 1998 Need of major efforts in the area of HI education African physicians/healthcare-providers need assistance from health informatics specialists Difficult to sustainably develop a scientific field far from universities, training and research institutes

7. Need for HI Program Need to develop appropriate and well trained local health informaticians capable to model, develop, and implement appropriate IT strategies, as well as choose, evaluate, and manage local IT infrastructure in the health sector of the country Furthermore, in our global world well trained health informaticians will strongly contribute to the improvement of the economic situation of the country by acting as a pulling factor for ICT outsourcing from other countries Good news Some HI-Programs established in South-Africa, Rwanda, and Burundi Cameroon on the way to establish HI-Programs

8. Achievements of Koegni-eHealth Solution Components Telemedicine Capacity building Training and Continuing Education Blended learning Decision Support Systems Electronic Patient / Health Record Virtual and Collaborative Environment Cameroonian disease-related Competence Networks Open Standard Open and free Platform Virtual access to experts and second Opinion System Knowhow Transfer

9. Training and capacity building

10. eLearning-environment

11. African countries cannot fully reap the benefits from increased development of Information technology in health care delivery if both infrastructure and adequate research and education structures are not in place.

12. HELINA Conference 2011 HELINA Conference 2013 October 7 to 8 in EldoretKenya

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