The Standard Group Plc is a multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper print
operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The Standard Group is recognized as a
leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key influence in matters of national and international interest.
Kenya yesterday conducted its first digital medical examination with China, Egypt, Dubai and France amidst the soaring of the coronavirus pandemic.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe unveiled the new advanced computed tomography (CT) scan centre at the Kenyatta National Hospital where local medics consulted with their peers in Wuhan, China, in the management of a live case of the disease.
Kagwe said the unit, which has a video conference unit, will be essential in the fight against coronavirus.
China provided the software called Golden Eye, which it has used at home to detect and monitor progress of Covid-19 patients.
Effectively, a patient from the 37 Kenyan health facilities that are connected can be seen by any doctor in Kenya or around the world.
Through the CT scan technology, patients’ images of affected organs, including the lungs in the case of Covid-19, is transmitted digitally for interpretation before diagnosis is made. Mr Kagwe said with the additional unit, the number of patients going abroad for radiology services will decrease.
“Instead of sending a radiologist in every county, we can have counties send their scans remotely to KNH for interpretation. This way, we can have positive gains in human resource management,” said the CS.
Information technology is a central pillar in the projected roll-out of universal healthcare under President Kenyatta’s ambitious plan to cover the entire population.
Kenya is the first African country to employ the technology, first developed in Wuhan, China, the epicentre of Covid-19.
The Chinese Embassy and Neusoft, the manufacturer of the CT scan machines, offered the software.
A CT scan is one of the key diagnostics needed to determine the extent one has suffered from coronavirus as it reveals damage done to the lungs by the virus. Most patients who succumb die due to cardiac arrest associated with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS).
Mr Richard Ngatia said the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry sought the software, now expected to been rolled out to interconnect all counties.
Effectively, KNH will be used as the African region’s case study and benchmark for the Covid-19 detection and monitoring of patients.
Dr Eunice Omamo, a specialist radiologist, said the video conferencing will enable a rapid turnaround in managing patients who would be seen remotely by a doctor of choice.
This is KNH’s second CT scan, which is a 64 slide, the first being 128 slide. A 64 slide CT scan means the equipment can capture 64 images per rotation.
join