Tele-ICU to aid in virtual care

4,500 doctors, nurses, paramedics will be trained for providing critical care services in rural areas


Our Correspondent October 23, 2020

A tele-intensive care unit (ICU) facility has been launched in Pakistan to provide online consultancy in the area of critical care across all public and private hospitals in the country. As many as 4,500 doctors, nurses and paramedics will be trained as part of the project to begin with.

The tele-ICU facility is a collaborative effort of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Health Services Academy (HSA) - a body that trains public health professionals - the Ministry of Health and healthcare network Sehat Kahani. It has been introduced keeping in view the dearth of critical care specialists in Pakistan and lack of healthcare facilities in remote areas.

According to the Pakistan Medical Association president, at present, the country has just 50 to 70 critical care specialists to cater to a population of 200 million. Most of these specialists are concentrated in major cities, he pointed out.

Speaking in this regard, UNDP resident representative Aliona Niculita said, "Having a limited number of critical care consultants in the country, this intervention will allow improved patient care, particularly for those residing in far-flung areas, where healthcare systems are inadequate." She added, "This project is not just an effort to build a more equitable and resilient society, but will also contribute to the UNDP's goal of improving lives of the people of Pakistan."

Moreover, UNFPA deputy representative Dr Bakhtior Kadirov highlighted that enabling young female doctors to work from home and pairing them with newly trained healthcare providers would strengthen the capacity of the existing healthcare system and facilitate the delivery of reproductive health services to women and girls in remote areas.

He noted that Covid-19 pandemic had reversed the positive trends of maternal and child health indicators in recent weeks, calling for targeted interventions to ensure the wellbeing of mothers and children.

"Such innovative platforms will facilitate the availability of critical, lifesaving health services to women and girls," Dr Kadirov said.

The tele-ICU facility will allow doctors to connect with critical care consultants and registrars online around the clock.

Initially, the project will be implemented in 60 ICUs across Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan, as a pilot measure, while ICU staff will be provided on-site training.

Moreover, Services Academy public health department head Dr Shahzad Ali Khan said the HSA, in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank, World Health Organisation and Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination, has developed a ''Basic Assessment and Support in Intensive Care' course to train 4,500 healthcare workers and professionals as part of the initiative.

"As the country bravely fights Covid-19, this is an ideal time to train doctors in critical care, preparing them to battle the current and future pandemics and [tackle] critical care issues through the technology employed for telemedicine [platforms]," he said. "This pilot project will impact a million lives in six months."

Published in The Express Tribune, October 23rd, 2020.

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