Regional workshop on Strengthening Telemedicine Implementation in the WHO South-East Asia Region
7 - 9 February 2023, New Delhi, India
Overview
Telemedicine services can facilitate the delivery of quality and cost-effective healthcare to all, especially among underserved communities and those living in remote and hard to reach areas. It unequivocally contributes to achieving universal health coverage (UHC) and the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030.
The COVID-19 pandemic further amplified the significance of telemedicine for health systems strengthening. The pandemic exerted significant pressure on health systems and service delivery, revealing gaps and weakness in countries across the globe. Digital tools such as telemedicine supported the overwhelmed health systems by not only strengthening responses but also ensuring continuity of quality care.
However, telemedicine services need to be trusted and supported with adequate regulatory and legal frameworks for their institutionalization. The workshop provided opportunities for Member States to deep dive into established WHO consolidated telemedicine implementation guidelines, discuss best practices and lessons learned to help countries facilitate meaningful and sustainable use of telemedicine and provide a pathway for integrating telemedicine as part of routine health service delivery