July 2024 Telemedicine Conference Newsletter
August 16th, 2024
In partnership with the US Embassy-Bamako, GAIA Vaccine Foundation hosted a three-day conference in July on telemedicine entitled ‘Innovations in Telemedicine and Healthcare in Mali and the United States. The conference took place at the Institut national de santé publique in Bamako, and many participants also joined virtually. The primary goal of the event was to explore applications and advancements of telemedicine, particularly in relation to HPV/ cervical cancer, HIV, and dermatology. As well, the event compared and contrasted advances in telemedicine in the United States and in Mali. Throughout this three day series, lectures honed in on real world applications of telemedicine in the two countries and provided information on how more healthcare professionals can integrate telemedicine into their practices. We would like to share a recap of the event below.
Day 1:
Dr. Karamoko Tounkara, GAIA Vaccine Foundation’s National Director, began the first day of the conference with a welcome speech. This was followed by an address from the Deputy Chief of Mission, Wallace Bain, of the US Embassy in Bamako. The former Minister of Health, Dr. Fanta Siby, was a keynote speaker who took the stage to discuss the importance of providing access to healthcare via telemedicine. Dr. Amalle Ketia Dao gave a thorough walk through of her experience on a pilot project to implement telemedicine at the rural Keniero Health Center, an initiative funded by GAIA Vaccine Foundation. Later in the afternoon, Dr. Thierry Daou provided an overview of various efforts to date to develop the ‘digitalization of health’. This included the increased implementation of telemedicine, as well as the development of ‘OpenClinic’, a digital health platform that will soon be introduced by the Malian government and is currently being piloted by 20 different health clinics. To close the first day of the conference, Dr. Ousmane Faye of the UTTSB (Dermatology) took the stage and described the initiation and success of the project ‘Teledermatology’, coined the ‘Bamako Project’. This initiative pilots programs for the management of skin diseases in primary health centers in resource limited countries. Teledermatology is the practice of issuing a qualified photographer to take a series of digital photographs of a patient’s skin lesions, which are then sent to a dermatologist for remote assessment to determine if they require in person care. Given the population of Malians that live in remote areas far from health clinic access, the practice of Teledermatology will ensure fast, efficient responses that assist in their medical treatment journey.
Day 2:
The second day of the telemedicine lecture series began with a presentation conducted by Dr. Ibrahima Teguete. This discussion provided an overview of obstetrics and gynecology, and the importance of connecting clinicians and radiologists to clinicians working far from health care clinics. This presentation was followed by a portion focused on pediatric telemedicine hosted by Dr. Yossef Alnassar with an emphasis on the impact of telemedicine on low and middle income countries. Professor Cheick Oumar Bagayoko followed with a presentation of the many positive advancements of telemedicine in francophone West Africa. In particular, this speech highlighted the use of telemedicine to connect specialists and radiologists to clinicians that particularly reside in rural Africa. To cap off the second day, Dr. Anne De Groot and Professor Bagayoko led a lively discussion centered on the implementation of telemedicine in local community clinics.
Day 3:
On the final day of the telemedicine lecture series, Professor Cheick Oumar Bagayoko provided an overview of how to evaluate telemedicine activities. Dr. Matthew Murphy’s session focused on the experience of using telemedicine in the United States, with a focus on such practices that prevent HIV transmission. The 3 day series was closed with a dynamic panel discussion between Dr. Fanta Siby, Dr. Amalle Keita Daou, Dr. Thierry Daou, Dr. Matthew Murphy and Professor Bagayoko. This event provided valuable insight to a larger community of Malian healthcare workers about the importance of Telemedicine and how it can positively impact patients seeking reliable healthcare options.
As an organization, GAIA Vaccine Foundation strives to connect patients in need with quick, accurate and reliable healthcare options. With the generous assistance of the US Embassy in Bamako, we created a successful collaboration that highlighted the experience enhancing benefits of telemedicine and how encouraging better access to healthcare can reduce incidences of infectious disease among vulnerable populations.
