Leveraging their existing expertise of tele-medicine solutions that comprises E-Health clinics in low income communities and a mobile application for the masses, Sehat Kahani has now introduced Tele-ICU Technology to their platform. Together with United Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Health Services Academy and Ministry of Health, Sehat Kahani has launched the first of its kind Tele-ICU project which will enable Critical Care specialists to provide virtual advice in Public and Private ICUs across Pakistan. According to the President of Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), Pakistan currently has only 50 to 70 critical care specialists to cater needs of a population of 200 million people. Most of these intensivists are concentrated in major cities of Pakistan. This project will allow doctors in ICUs to connect with Critical Care Consultants and Registrars virtually 24/7. The initial pilot will induct 60 ICUs across Sindh, Punjab, KP and Balochistan. Virtual and on-site training will be conducted with the ICU staff. Initial cohorts of training were conducted in Islamabad, AJK and Lahore to kick off the pilot. Aliona Niculita, Resident Representative a.i., UNDP said, ‘UNDP has partnered with Sehat Kahani to launch the Tele-ICU project which aims to increase the capacity of healthcare providers working in public and private ICUs across Pakistan. With limited number of Critical Care Consultants in the country, this intervention will allow improved patient care particularly for those residing in far-flung areas where healthcare systems are inadequate. This project is not only an effort to build a more equitable and resilient society but will also contribute to UNDP’s goal of improving the lives of the people of Pakistan.’ Dr. Bakhtior Kadirov, Deputy Representative UNFPA said that enabling young female doctors to work from home and pairing them with newly trained health care providers will strengthen the capacity of the existing health care system to facilitate the delivery of reproductive health services to women and girls in hard to reach areas. The current CoVID-19 Pandemic has reversed the positive trends in all maternal and child health indicators in recent weeks which calls for targeted interventions to ensure health of mothers and children.
