THE FUTURE OF TELEMEDICINE
Saving lives in such a critical time.
by Moretlo Molefi
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We need to accelerate in building digital solutions to establish a collaborative platform to leverage much needed help. Telemedicine is the future of healthcare for all. It has become more relevant now because we need to protect patients and doctors equally. From teleconsults to tele-ICUs we can bring expert care and advice to patients anywhere - in remote rural areas, in overcrowded cities. We are witnessing how an ICU in a rural hospital is linked to a first class city hospital and experts can help staff in diagnosis, treatment and all areas of patient care – which is saving lives in such a critical time.
Technology holds the key to unlocking solutions to many of the challenges we are facing in developing countries today
Moretlo Molefi, Telemedicine Africa.
OUR SPEAKER
Moretlo Molefi
Dr Moretlo Molefi is a medical doctor who says that she has always had an entrepreneurial mind. Born in Soweto, she grew up in Lesotho before obtaining a BSc degree in biology and chemistry. She then moved on to read for her Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, at the Medical University of Southern Africa, where she qualified as a medical doctor. In addition to working for a number of major pharmaceutical companies, Moretlo practiced as a community doctor before giving in to her entrepreneurial inclinations. With time, marrying her expertise as a medical doctor with her business sense, she became involved in telemedicine.
Her interest in telemedicine was cemented while serving as director for telemedicine research at the Medical Research Council (MRC) of South Africa for seven years. Its Telemedicine Unit was established as a joint project of the Department of Health and the MRC, and has gone a long way in delivering a solution to the severe problems of inadequate services and geographical challenges that face the South African health system. Moretlo was also the project leader in the development of the Telemedicine Workstation for developing countries.
Moretlo has pioneered ICT-based systems that support all levels of healthcare, including primary and tertiary healthcare. One example is a successful rural connectivity project on telemedicine in Limpopo. This project has now been extended to 14 regional hospitals covering the entire province. She is working on a telehealth assessment project for telesurveillance in 14 Southern African countries, a project funded by the African Development Bank. She also coordinates international telemedicine training in China for at least 20 participants from developing countries, funded by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology.
Her company, Telemedicine Africa, is pioneering a variety of telemedicine technologies supplied by Chinese company Yunnan Sunpa Image into Africa.
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Individuals contributed with their image and content in a personal capacity, not as a part of their role in any institution or company listed on this website.
Resources and points of view
Is COVID-19 the Tipping Point for Telemedicine?, an article in Smithsonian Magazine
Sheltering in place has pushed virtual health care into the mainstream, making us wonder if we’ll ever go back to waiting rooms.
Realizing the potential of telemedicine in global health, an article in Journal of Global Health
A growing body of evidence suggests that telehealth programs can significantly increase healthcare access for the most vulnerable, improve weak public health systems, and create an interconnected global health network more responsive to humanitarian crises even in resource-poor settings.
Telemedicine in Developing Countries: Challenges and Successes, an article in Global Health Review
In rural or impoverished pockets of the world, where disease is prevalent, doctors are scarce, and health care infrastructure is inadequate, telemedicine is an innovative solution that connects the developing world to the resources of the developed world.
Using Telemedicine to Treat Patients in Underserved Areas, a paper in Innovation Policy Platform
Patients who need specialized care must travel long distances, at enormous cost, just to receive a diagnosis. Being able to obtain medical care where they live could be life-changing for these people.
Innovative Telemedicine Approaches in Different Countries, a paper in Telehealth and Medicine Today
As evolving technology creates more avenues for physicians to deliver affordable and instant care to their patients, there has been a sharp increase in the number of telemedicine implementations across the world.
