Monday, September 21, 2015

Accra Tech Salon: How can ICT facilitate better health care delivery?

Penplusbytes will host the 4th Accra Technology Salon on Tuesday, 29th September, 2015 at the New Media Hub, Osu, Ako-Adjei, on the topic: “How can ICT facilitate better health care delivery?” in order to stimulate dialogue and debate on ensuring health for all through the use of new digital technologies.

Led by our thought leaders; Ernest Gavor, CEO of 233app and developer of Moja app, Samuel Quarshie, head of ICT, Ghana Health Service (GHS) and an expert in eHealth, and lastly, Harriet Nottinson, representative from Ghana Coalition of Ngo’s in health, Accra Tech Salon will explore the extent to which ICTs can be deployed to improve on the standards of health care delivery and will bring together key health and e-health experts, technology experts, Civil Societies working within the health sector, individuals and stakeholders with proven interest in advancing the course of healthcare in Ghana for a thought provoking discussion.

Through the development of databases and other applications, ICTs also provide the capacity to improve health system efficiencies and prevent medical errors. Currently, ICTs are playing a critical role in improving health care for individuals and communities through the provision of new and more efficient ways of accessing, communicating, and storing information.

Telemedicine is an example of an eHealth system where the best healthcare is brought to everybody through the expertise of highly qualified Doctors via the use of telecommunication and information technology to bring clinical health care from a distance. It eliminates distance barriers and improves access to medical services that would often not be consistently available in distant rural communities. It is also used to save lives in critical care and emergency situations.

According to Kwami Ahiabenu, II, Executive Director of Penplusbytes, the use of new digital technologies and its impact on the health sector is not new in Ghana, however there is a lot of untapped new digital technologies opportunities which the country can harness to ensure that affordable quality health care services and facilities are widely available to all Ghanaians especially the venerable in the society” Mr. Ahiabenu added that the upcoming Tech Salon on “How can ICT facilitate better health care delivery” is going to enable key stakeholders discuss practical ideas and innovations which is needed to ensure Information and Communication technologies can serve as a catalyst for improved healthcare delivery in Ghana.”

Among a number of key issues to be deliberated upon are how Ghana can achieve a complete healthcare reform with ICT, prospects for mobile health technology in Ghana’s healthcare system and, challenges in improving access to and management of health information. Participants would also explore how ICT can help reduce maternal and child mortality as well as take a cursory look into what health portals and ICT-based tools can assist in disease prevention, treatment and health monitoring.

Please RSVP now to join your health, technology and development peers for the 4th Technology Salon Accra. Seating is, however, limited to 35 people. RSVP now or risk being on a waiting list!


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Penplusbytes is a not-for-profit organization driving change through innovations in three key areas: using new digital technologies to enable good governance and accountability, new media and innovations, and driving oversight for effective utilisation of mining, oil and gas revenue and resources.
 

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