Current Status of Telehealth in Bangladesh

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Current Status of Tele-health in Bangladesh
Regional Workshop on Using Space Technology for
Tele-health to Benefit Asia and the
Pacific Lucknow, India

• Dr. Syed Umar Khyyam
• Member (Technology)
• Project Director
• EDREMOS Project, SPARRSO
• Bangladesh

20-23 October, 2008
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Geographical Location and Topography of Bangladesh
Lat. 20-300N - 26-450 N Lon 88-00 E - 92-450 E

• About 50 of the country is within 6-7 m of MSL.
• About 68 of the country is vulnerable to flood.
• 25 to 30 of the area is inundated during normal
  flood

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BANGLADESH SPACE RESEARCH AND REMOTE SENSING
ORGANIZATION- SPARRSO
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Functions of SPARRSO

• SPARRSO is involved in the multi-disciplinary
  application of space and remote sensing
  technology to (i) survey the natural resources,
  (ii) investigate different environmental issues
  and processes and (iii) monitor various natural
  hazards.
• It provides the government with relevant and
  up-to-date geo-information for facilitating
  formulation of national, regional and
  international policies and supporting appropriate
  applications towards ensuring sustainable
  development.

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Functions of SPARRSO

• The organization plays a key-role to establish
  regional
• and international cooperation and
  collaboration for the
• peaceful application of space science
  technology.
• The working themes include acquisition,
  processing, analysis, application, interpretation
  and archival of remote sensing based
  geo-information on various geo-disciplinary areas
  in the country.
• It is the NATIONAL FOCAL POINT and acts as
  NATIONAL RESOURCE CENTER FOR REMOTE SENSING BASED
  GEO-INFORMATION..

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Functions of SPARRSO

• It disseminates knowledge of remote sensing
  technology in the country.
• It ensures quality of inferred information
  through remote sensing application and needs to
  be involved in monitoring and quality assurance
  processes for generating all remote sensing
  products.

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Policies and Strategies for tele-health

• National ICT policy recommends the use of ICT in
  health care
• A National e-Health Policy (Strategy) was
  introduced in 2001
• Norms and standards for e-Health Systems were
  adopted in 2004
• Public funding has been provided between 1999 and
  2002

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Rapid ICT infrastructure development in
Bangladesh providing increasing access to
Information and Communication Technologies all
over the countryBangladesh has been connected
with SEP-MS-WS-L Submarine CableICT Policy
recommended private sector investment to start
more Cable network System
Tele-health Infrastructure (ICT) Development

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Tele-health Infrastructure (ICT) Development

Bangladesh Telephone and Telegraph Board (BTTB)
has been Privatized. Converted from Public owned
department to private company as Bangladesh
Telecommunication Company Limited
(BTCL)Telephone call rate has been drastically
reduced to 10-15 paisa/minuteDial up internet
connection to all BTCL phone connection at10-15
paisa/minute rate
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Tele-health Infrastructure (ICT) Development

• Customs duty and Tax reduced to a minimum on ICT
  hardware and software import
• Tele-health, Tele-medicine related software
  available in local ICT market.
• IT professionals capable of delivering
  customized software

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About 40 million users of mobile phone and
Internet service in BangladeshMobile phone and
internet coverage is growing very fast.40-50
mobile phone calls made to city from village are
because of health issuesConsidering bandwidth,
Coverage and Cost ICT infrastructure is quite
supportive for development of Tele-Health in
Bangladesh.
Tele-health Infrastructure (ICT) Development

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Public SectorICT skills programs for health
professionals have been provided since
2000.PMIS for health cadre professionalsNo
dedicated Tele-medicine service in any public
hospital
Tele-health Service In Public, Private And NGO
Sector
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Public SectorNo dedicated health portal in
public or private sectorNo specific revenue or
donor supported project for Tele-healthNo WHO
support program in current Biennium
Tele-health Service In Public, Private And NGO
Sector
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Tele-health Service In Public, Private And NGO
Sector
Private Sector

• Efforts for development of electronic health
  context (information and knowledge) by many
  institutes and tertiary level Private Hospitals
  Examples, Bangladesh Institutes for Research and
  Rehabilitations for Diabetes Endocrine and
  Metabolic Disorder (BIRDEM).
• Apollo Hospital, Japan Bangladesh Friendship
  Hospital (JBFH), Comfort Nursing Home,
  Somorita Hospital, Medinova Telemedicine,
  Centre for Rehabilitations of the Paralysed
  (CRP).

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Tele-health Service In Public, Private And NGO
Sector

• NGO Sector
• e-health society Bangladesh
• Bangladesh Telemedicine Association
• SDNP Tele-health System
• Bangladesh Telemedicine Services
• DNS Telemedicine Limited

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Types Of Tele-health Services

• Electronic Health Records (eHR)
• Patient Information System (PIS)
• Hospital Information System (HIS)
• National Electronic Registers
• National Drug Registers
• Directories of Healthcare Professionals
• Telemedicine Consultations
• Tele-education
• Tele-lab services
• Tele-health services for farmers
• Tele-video services
• Second Opinion, Third Opinion

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Challenges and Opportunities for Developing
Tele-health in Bangladesh

• Wide infrastructural (ICT) coverage
• Rapidly growing ICT coverage
• Protection of privacy of patient data
• Trust building
• Benefit over conventional system
• Cost
• Social and Legal issues

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THANK YOU