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Rumbidzayi Zinyuke-Senior Health Reporter

Villagers of Chikomba West constituency are the pilot groups of a telehealth programme that allows them to access quality healthcare advice through an e-health centre, where they speak to a doctor through a screen, backed by courier services offsetting the long distances to health facilities, limited availability of specialists and financial constraints.

This innovative programme, which is a public private partnership between the Ministry of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services and ZimSmart Villages, a local telemedicine service provider, is expected to improve access to healthcare and health outcomes.

Through the collaboration, ZimSmart Villages using its Batsi Health platform, will ensure availability of doctors for online consultations with patients who walk into the e-health centre while TelOne will provide broadband to ensure connectivity and ZimPost provides courier services to enable the smooth movement of blood samples, medicines and other necessities to and from the communities.

Speaking during a medical outreach programme at Glovirna Gomba primary school in Beatrice, where the initiative was launched, villagers said they were hopeful that the setting up of the centre would allow them to have easier access to services.  Mr Shakespear Shumba said more people would be able to access health care at a lower cost.

“People walk about 14km to get to the nearest health facility but this is a challenge because sometimes they would then decide to take home remedies than walk that long journey. We are grateful for this initiative which allows us to use technology. They told us we would also have access to a nurse stationed here and then we can get a chance to speak with a doctor on the computer. This means distance is no longer a barrier to accessing health care. We do not always get to see a doctor when we visit Beatrice Hospital but here we can now interact with doctors at any time,” he said.

Another villager Mr Shingirai Gurure said: “We have been facing problems in getting to health centres and we would not get medicines on time. This programme will allow us to now be able to get treatment on time and medicines also arrive on time.”

Mrs Laina Mandiri, a village health worker said the programme would reduce the incidence of people defaulting on their medications.

“Chronic diseases are a problem here. We have many patients on HIV, BP and diabetes medicines and sometimes they do not get their medicines on time owing to non-availability of the type of drug they use. We have seen many people who default on their medications because of the long distances they have to walk. I am hopeful that having such a service here will mean that everyone can continue to access their medicines and we can have healthier people,” she said.

Telemedicine is the use of electronic and telecommunication technology to deliver clinical care remotely, ensuring that people receive healthcare when needed, especially for those with limited access.

ZimSmart chief executive officer Dr Admore Jokwiro, said that with most doctors located in urban areas, many rural communities were disadvantaged as they could not have access to a doctor at all times.

He said the e-health initiative was addressing the pain points for these communities by having doctors who are located in urban areas having an ability to follow and monitor patients who are in rural areas using electronic platforms.

“We have been doing medical outreaches in Nyanga and other communities since 2012 and we recognised that most of our patients travelled long distances to come access these services. We also realised that the follow up period becomes difficult after the outreach. 

“When we come for an outreach like this one, we identify new diabetics and hypertensive patients among others and we start them on medication but we need to be checking on them to see if they are responding well to medication or not. 

“Our plan is to improve access, broaden patients’ options in terms of getting doctors’ opinions and advise which then improves health outcomes,” he said.

ZimSmart had already set up partnerships with pharmacies, laboratories, courier service providers and then the sellers who bring other goods and services to the people.

After paying a consultation fee of US$5, patients are able to speak with a doctor and when they get their prescription, they can order from pharmacies who then send the orders through the nearest post office. A bike delivery makes the final journey to the e-health centre where patients can then collect.

The telehealth initiative is not only improving access to care but also empowering communities. Local health workers are trained to operate the technology and assist patients with consultations, fostering a sense of ownership and self-reliance within the communities.

Government has already set in motion plans to roll out a full scale national telemedicine programme as part of its move to ensure universal access to health services as enshrined in the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).

Minister of ICT and Member of Parliament for Chikomba West Tatenda Mavetera said the move to set e-health centres was in line with the national vision of leaving no one and no place behind.

“Chikomba constituency is quite a large constituency and this particular area does not have a clinic. President Mnangagwa has says we should leverage on technology to ensure Zimbabwe becomes a middle income economy by 2030. This is what we are trying to achieve through this e-health initiative which will make sure that we avail medical health services to the people of Zimbabwe,” she said

She said the partnerships with TelOne and ZimPost would allow the project to use the already existing infrastructure to ensure its success.

The project will also have an e-commerce division which will enable villagers to not only order their medicines, but also order other goods they may need delivered closer to them.