Aimed at highlighting the need for integrating IT with healthcare, the HOSMAC Foundation Conference emphasised the imperative need for assimilation of IT through applications such as Telemedicine, Health Information Management Systems (HMIS) and Geographical Information System (GIS) to maximise the reach of healthcare services in India.
Prof M S Swaminathan, chairman, MSSRF, during his speech, emphasised the need for latest IT technologies in healthcare sector that are available to the urban population to be made accessible to the rural areas of India as well. He said, "The Government is committed to expanding rural connectivity through a slew of measures so that rural users can access information of value and transact business. This will include connecting block headquarters with fiber optic network, using wireless technology to achieve last mile connectivity and operating information kiosks through a partnership of citizens, panchayats, civil society organisations, the private sector and Government."
He expressed a need for similar initiatives to be made available to rural India in the field of health information technology as well.
The conference focused on the effectiveness of Telemedicine for 'Delivery of Healthcare Systems to the rural and Remote Populations of India'; on leveraging information and communication technology for 'Providing Healthcare to Rural India in an Affordable Manner', using GIS mapping for 'Integrated Disease Vector Surveillance'. |
