E-Infrastructures and E-Services on Developing Countries. First International ICST Conference, AFRICOM 2009, Maputo, Mozambique, December 3-4, 2009. Proceedings

Research Article

Telemedicine as a Tool for Europe-Africa Cooperation: A Practical Experience

Download
491 downloads
  • @INPROCEEDINGS{10.1007/978-3-642-12701-4_10,
        author={Manuel Dinis and Fernando Santiago and Lu\^{\i}s Silva and Ricardo Ferreira and Jos\^{e} Machado and Eduardo Castela},
        title={Telemedicine as a Tool for Europe-Africa Cooperation: A Practical Experience},
        proceedings={E-Infrastructures and E-Services on Developing Countries. First International ICST Conference, AFRICOM 2009, Maputo, Mozambique, December 3-4, 2009. Proceedings},
        proceedings_a={AFRICOMM},
        year={2012},
        month={5},
        keywords={telemedicine telehealth Africa e-health pediatric cardiology tele-echocardiography and telecommunications},
        doi={10.1007/978-3-642-12701-4_10}
    }
    
  • Manuel Dinis
    Fernando Santiago
    Luís Silva
    Ricardo Ferreira
    José Machado
    Eduardo Castela
    Year: 2012
    Telemedicine as a Tool for Europe-Africa Cooperation: A Practical Experience
    AFRICOMM
    Springer
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-12701-4_10
Manuel Dinis1,*, Fernando Santiago2,*, Luís Silva2,*, Ricardo Ferreira2,*, José Machado2,*, Eduardo Castela3,*
  • 1: INOVETEL SA
  • 2: PT Inovação SA
  • 3: H. Pediátrico de Coimbra, Quinta dos Vales, S. Martinho do Bispo
*Contact email: manuel-dinis@ptinovacao.pt, santiago@ptinovacao.pt, luismiguel-h-silva@ptinovacao.pt, ricardo-j-ferreira@ptinovacao.pt, jose-e-machado@ptinovacao.pt, ecastela@chc.min-saude.pt

Abstract

This paper presents the experience of an Europe-Africa telemedicine network, focused on the pediatric area, and involving hospitals located in Luanda (Angola), Benguela (Angola), Praia (Cape Verde) and Coimbra (Portugal). In the scope of this network, the cooperation between these hospitals goes beyond the teleconsultation sessions. Tele-training, clinical experience exchange, patient transfer agreements and health staff training to local development of new medical capabilities are some of the involved activities. It is therefore agreed that this kind of technical and knowledge network could also be expanded to other African countries with clear benefits to the local citizens, overcoming the digital-divide and improving the cooperation between developed and developing countries.