In the near future, the newly opened telemedicine center will serve six more medical specialties.
The first telemedicine center was opened this Tuesday, March 26, in Guinea-Bissau, with support from the European Union and Portuguese cooperation, to, in the first phase, remotely serve patients in the areas of neonatology, pediatrics, maternity and ultrasound.
The inauguration of the platform, installed at the Main Military Hospital (HMP) in Bissau, was witnessed by the Guinean Prime Minister, Rui Duarte Barros, and the European Union Ambassador to Guinea-Bissau, Artis Bertulis.
According to the European diplomat, the University of Porto is, for now, the first partner of the Bissau telemedicine center, one of the instruments to reinforce the Integrated Program for reducing Maternal and Child Mortality in the country (PIMI).
Artis Bertulis pointed out that the results of PIMI “are visible” due to the fact that in less than ten years it managed to help Guinea-Bissau reduce maternal mortality by 30% and infant mortality by 25%.
“Today we begin a new stage of maternal and child support, introducing sustainable innovations within the framework of a structure of excellence”, emphasized the European Union ambassador.
The Bissau telemedicine center project has the technical coordination of the Marquês de Valle Flôr Institute.
Its project director, Ahmed Zaky, highlighted the fact that the center allows Guinean patients, “even from remote locations” to be treated by specialists “in other parts of the world”.
In the near future, the newly opened telemedicine center will serve six more medical specialties, Zaky said.
The Guinean Prime Minister, Rui Duarte de Barros, thanked the European Union for the cooperation with Guinea-Bissau and urged professionals to use “with great responsibility” the platform that he said should not only serve the Main Military Hospital (HMP) but also others medical centers in the country.
The Minister of Public Health, Domingos Malu, noted that the telemedicine center is part of the Government’s fulfillment of its commitment to reducing maternal and child mortality in the country.
The general director of the Bissau HMP, Ramalho Cunda, explained that the center opened today is the European Union’s response to the hospital’s Strategic Plan in the face of the lack of specialists, a fact that he said led many patients to seek answers in Senegal or Portugal, through of the Medical Board.
“In this process, many end up dying”, highlighted Cunda.
Tags: European Union Portugal install telemedicine center GuineaBissau
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