In cooperation with the Ministry of Health and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation a telemedicine pilot program with GALE eClinics was launched in four remote areas of Guyana.
"We have reached a milestone and begin a journey that has the potential to transform health."
Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, GPHC Board Chairman
During the Telemedicine Launch, 19Labs CEO, Ram Fish, joined Guyana's Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony, in Masakenari, or as it is better known locally, Gunns Village. They were welcomed by the village Toshao, Paul Chekema, and the village residents. Using the newly installed eClinic system, Gunns was able to connect to the Georgetown Public Hospital and the three other villages that form part of this pilot program.
The program's purpose is to provide equitable healthcare to all of Guyana's citizens. This keeps in line with the vision of Guyana's President, Dr. Ali, of creating a 'world-class' healthcare system for Guyana. Dr. Ramsammy, began the launch by saying:
"Our ambition is to improve health care for all of our people, and as we understand that we can't put…a Georgetown public-level hospital in every village, we believe that citizens, in every part of the country, could get access to basic healthcare…We have reached a stage this morning, where we could launch Guyana's national telemedicine program."
One of the major challenges in achieving such a vision is the remote locations with the lack of connectivity. Gunns Village is a 5-day boat and land trek during the rainy season when planes cannot use the local airstrip. 19Labs is proud to provide a solution as the four health posts that are part of this pilot are now connected to the world through the internet over satellite.
With the GALE eClinic Telemedicine units, even the most isolated village now has access to top-quality medical care. In a very short time, Gunns went from an area that had no connectivity, electricity, and little medical equipment, to the ability to instantly connect to the healthcare and staff of the Georgetown Public Hospital. Dr. Anthony said:
"With the technology we have now installed, this particular health center has a full complement of internet-enabled devices which we will…be able to do ultrasounds, ECGs, and a whole host of other things to help to assess the patient."
GALE eClinics replicate the full clinical experience providing and filling the need for both general health and specialty care including prenatal, OBGYN, maternal, cardiac, and chronic condition management. Our partnership goes beyond a one-time fix. The local communities now have access to more opportunities. Ram Fish said:
"This goes even beyond just health care, [this transforms communities]. The equity that it brings to us also opens the eyes of people and places to different cultures, and different ways of doing things…It's about empowering with technology local young women and men who really become the centers of the communities beyond just health…This is the beginning of a journey…We will expand and work together to really make healthcare equitable across Guyana and beyond."
About 19Labs
19Labs is the creator of GALE, Next Generation Point-of-Care platform for pharmacies, schools, and rural communities. GALE brings together cutting-edge diagnostic technologies from industry leaders like Zoom, Elo, Amwell, Eko, Samsung Mobile, MIR, Omron, Viasat, and many others in one smart, efficient, and cost-effective platform. It was designed from the ground up to be operated by non-healthcare professionals, in locations with limited infrastructure and optimized for low bandwidth and intermittent connectivity.