Nairobi Telehalth Initiative Declaration

Rapid growth has been achieved both in health care services and com- munications in recent years in developed countries. Connectivity has become the underlying pillar for a successful health care delivery.

Compared to other industries, health care has historically underin- vested in information and communication technologies and the situa- tion in Africa is very much behind developed countries or use of in- formation and communication technologies for health care services, teaching and research could be considered as non existent.

African countries continued to suffer from major health threats, con- stantly diminishing resources, inadequate infrastructure. Information and communication technologies would not only help to improve the de- livery of health services but also to deal with constraints in up- lifting the health standards of African people.

* Participants in the African Telehealth Conference 99 realize the pressing issues of spreading information and communication tech- nologies in Africa and:

* Call upon African countries to embrace telehealth and spread the use of information and communication technologies in the health sector and develop a national telehealth policy that foster devel- opment.

* Recommend creation of African Telehealth Association whose steering committee to be established during this conference. The African Telehealth Association should be established during this African Telehealth Forum.

* Recommend needs assessment in telehealth application at national levels in Africa through national conferences and forum that could discuss plans, actions and projects to be supported by all health partners. The forum should act as the venue for demonstration and training in telehealth.

* Call upon African Governments for regional co-operation and strengthened South-South and North-South co-operation in order to share knowledge, resources and network that foster health care services, teaching and research in Africa.

* Call upon African Governments, national institutions, private sec- tor and development aid agencies to support principles and activi- ties that are outlined above.

Done 21 February 1999, Nairobi

Streering Committee Members:

Professor Patrick Kenya, Moi University, Kenya
Mr. Tonny Sedouh, Ministry of Health, Ghana
Dr. Legesse, University of Addis Abbaba, Medical School
Professor Nelson Sewankambo, Dean, Makerere University, Uganda
Professor Lech Banach, University of Transkai, South Africa
Ms. Jane Asaba, CAB International, Nairobi, Kenya
Dr. Tadesse, Addis Abbaba, Ethiopia.

Steering Committee Activities:

* Inventory of Telehealth Institutions
* Distribution of Conference Proceeding
* Inventory of the Activities on telehealth
* Planning Africa Telehealth Conference, Addis February 19-21, 2000

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From: Oryema Johnson <onoba@hotmail.com>Save Address Block Sender Subject: AFRO-NETS> Nairobi Telehalth Initiative Declaration Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 02:50:52 -0500 (EST)