eHEALTH DIGEST

Greetings!

I am pleased to welcome you to yet another edition of the eHealth Digest.

This month marks my two years as Director of AKDN eHRC. As quickly as it feels that time has gone by, a lot has also been accomplished in these two years. As I look back, I am humbled by the direction the Centre has taken, the progress that the AKDN eHealth Programme has made, and the accomplishments we have achieved. The most notable one was the AKDN eHealth Programme winning the Manthan Award in eHealth. It is very gratifying to see the Programme being recognised and awarded for its contribution toward improving health care access in Asia.

A lot of developments have already taken place in 2015. In April, the first live teleENT service was conducted between the French Medical Institute for Children (FMIC), Afghanistan and the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi (AKUH, K), Pakistan. This service will continue on a bi-monthly basis. In Pakistan, live teleconsultations in dermatology will initiate in the coming months between Gilgit Medical Centre and AKUH, K and between Aga Khan Booni Medical Centre and AKUH, K. This service will add to the expanding eHealth network in Pakistan. In Tajikistan, there are plans to initiate teleradiology services between Khorog Oblast General Hospital (KOGH) and FMIC. Most notable, however, is the initiation of eHealth services in Kyrgyz Republic. In the coming months, the AKDN eHealth Programme will expand to include Kyrgyz Republic as one of its service providing countries. Naryn Oblast Hospital and Naryn Oblast Family Medicine Centre in Naryn will be connected to the Republican Children's Clinical Hospital in Bishkek for eLearning in Family Medicine and for teleconsultations in Paediatrics, respectively.

In East Africa, the AKDN eHealth Strategy has been finalised and approved by stakeholders. Funding to initiate the strategy is currently being sought and the expansion plan will commence once adequate funding has been acquired.

This year, AKDN eHRC, in partnership with faculty from several international institutions, has developed a year-long online certificate course in eHealth. Delivered through asynchronous online methodologies, the course is designed to help health professionals understand eHealth concepts, address challenges around eHealth service delivery, implement effective eHealth programmes in their respective settings and become effective eHealth advocates. Currently, AKDN eHRC is offering the course to over 20 health care professionals across Afghanistan, Pakistan and Tajikistan. The course will open to a global audience from April 2016.

All in all, the AKDN partner agencies continue to make great strides in developing and expanding the AKDN eHealth Programme.

I hope you enjoy our new online edition of the newsletter. You can also read about the AKDN eHealth Programme's progress during the first quarter in our Quarterly Report, also accessible at the bottom of this page.

Regards,

Saleem Sayani
Director, AKDN eHRC