The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Telemedicine - answer to rural India's heath needs

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Summary

This article examines new technology that will potentially bring medical care to people in need in remote parts of India. Recently, physicians participated in a conference on telemedicine to discuss the possibilities.


Tele-surgery and robotic surgery, these physicians think, can help surgeons in remote areas provide better care. Specifically, a surgeon could consult with colleagues in a larger city such as Chennai during an operation. "The city of Chennai has more cardiologists than the whole of India's northeastern region put together," according to one participant. Delhi-based cardiologist Anil Saxena said tele-cardiology would mean less cost and inconvenience for patients who currently have to travel long distances for treatment. Further, "Speed is of essence in cardiology..." Doctors also say they would like to engage in tele-education through video conferencing and formation of discussion groups. One physician says he holds tele-talks every week to refresh the knowledge of doctors and communities in rural areas.


Both tele-surgery and robotic surgery are in their early phases of development in India (one expert quoted in the article predicts that it will take approximately a decade before the technologies are widely available). However, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has already set up 28 centres for tele-conferencing, and is planning another 150 centres over the next year.


According to one senior surgeon, the set-up for operations between two centres using robotic surgery is estimated to cost $1 million. He urged the government to support such endeavours, saying, "You are not just going to conduct a single operation. As you increase the number of operations it will become cost effective".


Click here for the full article online.


Source

Article forwarded to the bytesforall_readers list server on August 28 2003 (click here to access the archives).