Dream Centre opens telemedicine facility

The Elard Alumando Dream Centre in Blantyre on Friday opened a telemedicine centre for audiology and epilepsy patients.

The facility will enable patients to access global specialist consultation services.

Community of Sant’Egidio Dream executive director Sangare Hawa Mamary said the facility, under the Global Health Telemedicine, will ease the pressure of sending patients abroad for consultation for various ailments.

She said: “When our clinicians do their tests, they are sent to over 30 specialists from Italy and the rest of Europe who will give their opinions for free in real-time.

“Malawi has sent 1 000 requests to European specialists from Dream centres in Mangochi, Dowa, Mchinji and Blantyre.”

Mamary said telemedicine has proven handy in view of the Covid-19 pandemic that at times resulted in lockdowns, making physical visit to specialists difficult.

Ministry of Health director of digital health services Simeon Yosefe commended Dream for the initiative.

He said: “The centre comes at a time we are reorganising ourselves to ease the work of doctors, clinicians and nurses.

“We are happy that they are including epilepsy, which is one of the diseases that has been neglected for far too long. We hope the initiative will be replicated in other areas as well.”