By Jamil Suleman
GIVEN the geographical location of Kadavu, teleconferencing has become an essential tool for our operations.
These sentiments were shared by Acting Senior Medical Officer (SMO) Dr Krishan Prasad, who has been based at the Kadavu Hospital for almost four years.
This approach aligns with the Coalition Government’s commitment and the Ministry of Health and Medical Services policy to strengthen healthcare delivery in rural areas using innovative technologies.
As part of the Ministry’s Strategic Plan 2020-2025, the ministry encourages the use of telehealth services to improve access to specialised care and reduce the burden on urban facilities, ultimately enhancing the quality of healthcare across the nation.
Initiated late last year, Dr Prasad stated that the established teleconferencing sessions are held with the team at the internal medicine department at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital, as well as the Twomey Hospital in Suva.
“We aim to initiate regular teleconferencing with the paediatric department and other units, allowing for case discussions that enable us to provide better management at this level,” he said.
Dr Prasad noted that traveling from Kadavu to Suva is costly for patients; therefore, teleconferencing significantly reduces the burden of seeking specialized care in Suva.
Specialists on the other end can advise local general practitioners on the continuation of patient care.
“This also alleviates the strain on services in Suva, especially since many patients are from Kadavu. Patients without relatives in the Suva-Nausori corridor often face difficulties staying in Suva and may hesitate to seek treatment.”
He mentioned that the team frequently conducts teleconferences with all their nursing stations, allowing for effective patient monitoring.
“For example, the ride from Vunisea to Kavala takes about two hours, while travel to Naqara requires two and a half hours. For stable cases that can be managed locally, teleconferencing enables patients to remain in their villages while still receiving appropriate treatment.”
Dr Prasad emphasised that with the support of outside experts, their local teams also benefit from the monthly teleconferencing sessions with the medical departments.
“We have formed a group for the dermatology department where we can consult on cases via Viber, allowing for real-time discussions that enhance our learning and support for patient management in their communities.”