Specialists from any part of the world could also be hooked on to the portal in a form of video conferencing during major operations and could give directions to doctors in the operating room for a successful operation instead of having to transport the patient to the specialist.

An Indian IT firm, AVNASH, with support from the Integrated Social Development (ISODEC) and the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) developed the “PeopleLink” technology for improved and enhanced healthcare delivery.

The technology is expected to ease the difficulties medical practitioners and patients grapple with in offering and receiving quality healthcare respectively, especially in deprived districts of the three regions of the north.

Dr Abass Adam, the Medical Director at the TTH, expressed delight that such a technology had arrived in Ghana to help save lives, especially those in he rural areas. He said: “The technology is very good. Strong internet connectivity is what is needed before hooking on to the portal and I can sit in my office here and give directions or monitor other doctors performing complex operations that I need to do here”.

Dr Adam said it was important for the portal to be piloted in the various regional hospitals before extending to the district hospitals because of the poor internet connectivity. “Already we have used the technology here at TTH to perform an open surgery on a patient with a brain tumor, which was a success. During that operation our medical students from UDS and some experts watched the operation live from India and even asked questions,” he said.

“I think the era where we have to transport patients outside the country would become a thing of the past because the operation can be done here in Ghana where the specialists from any part of the world would be hooked on and give directions for a successful operation”, he said.

Dr Adam said the country’s road network was nothing to write home about and that such a technology when well developed would save lives especially maternal and infant mortality. He commended ISODEC, SADA and the Indian firm for developing the PeopleLink technology and gave the assurance that the TTH would collaborate with other hospitals in the north to use the facility judiciously to save lives.