Business / Local
Potraz signs $300k deal to facilitate telemedicine services by next yr
20 Dec 2015 at 10:58hrs | Views
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.
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.
Source - Sunday News
