NAA Adorkor Cudjoe, Associated Press
Coforidua, Ghana – Charles Oss Asek has traveled across Ghana since 2002 in search of the great growth care of an organization known as the neck keloid. The 46-year-old was increasingly frustrated after two failed surgeries and a trip to South Africa ended with consultations alone.
Aseku was preparing for yet another medical trip until late February, when he joined others in the first trial of Ghana's 3D Telemedicine Technology through a computer screen at the back of the van.
The people behind the initiative, developed by Microsoft research teams in collaboration with local doctors and researchers, say remote assessments can help provide medical consultations in patients waiting for surgery or after surgery in the lowest physician-patient ratios in the world.
The project is based on previous testing in Scotland and now serves as a portable system with enhanced lighting and camera upgrades.
Once inside the van, the camera captures a 3D model of each patient, and the image is projected onto a large computer screen. Multiple physicians can participate in online consultation sessions and manipulate 3D models to assess patients.
“The idea behind the van is to allow you to travel to remote villages that don't have any professional care… to have pre- or post-operative consultations.”
This initiative gives patients the opportunity to have multiple opinions. Aseku's session included doctors from Rwanda, Scotland and Brazil.
“I see a lot of doctors here, but I'm very happy because the experience comes from each one. They'll probably find a solution to my problem,” said the 46-year-old.
Researchers hope that the trial at Coforidua Regional Hospital in Ghana's eastern region is the beginning of a wider project that allows services to be expanded and explore new use cases.
In recent years, telehealth use has increased, particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic. Experts say such digital tools could benefit African patients most, as there are very few specialist doctors in the continent.
George Opok, 68, was referred to Cole Boo Teaching Hospital in Accra. It is almost 100 km from Koforidua Hospital. Coforidua Hospital was the first to care for rare cancers that occur in bones and soft tissues.
After hearing about the 3D telemedicine exam, his doctor decided to sign up with him in the process, saving the extra costs and stress of long-distance travel.
“This time I had to sit in the van and introduce myself to a few doctors, not just one doctor. I was able to answer all their questions. “I'm already feeling good and I have hope.”
A key challenge with this project is the lack of stable internet access. This is a common problem in remote areas of Africa.
At Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, this technique supports patients who need plastic surgery. This means that an insufficient number of plastic surgeons often have to consult with a different doctor each time a patient visits.
Dr. Kwame Darko, a hospital consultant plastic surgeon and one of the project's lead researchers, said 3D telemedicine can give patients the opportunity to see multiple doctors during a single session.
According to Dr. Ahensan Dasebre, chief residency doctor at Korle-Bu's National Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Centre, who was not part of the project, 3D technology could make a difference when replicated in Ghana and elsewhere.
“We are already behind in terms of the number of physicians available to care for a certain number of population,” he said.
“If someone doesn't have access to these specialized services but is in a remote area in a town that needs them, the referral doctor can actually use this telehealth to ensure they have access to the best possible care.”
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