Baobab Health Trust bemoans shortage of ICT experts in public hospitals
One of Malawi’s leading ICT for health organization Baobab for Health has appealed to government to train more members of staff in ICT for public hospitals.
Baobab executive director and renowned health activist Martha Kwataine said this in Lilongwe during a visit by Minister of Information Communication Technology, Mark Bottoman.
Baobab Health Trust was established in 2001 to improve patient care through ICT solutions as well as improving patient level data as well as reducing paper work in health facilities.
Speaking soon after Bottoman toured the computer data software development office and savers, Kwataine commended Bottoman for being the first Minister to develop interest in such facility.
Kwataine briefed the Minister the achievement of Baobab since 2001.
She said Baobab has developed “real time electronic medical record system” covering all major facilities in all districts in Malawi.
She said Baobab has developed stable software applications in the health care and that the organization has 9000 health workers in new technologies.
Kwataine told the minister that Baobab has built national connectivity for Ministry of Health for ART programme.
According to Kwataine, Baobab has integrated different hospital systems and department into one hospital wide system.
Kwataine has since urged Government to subsidize ICT equipment for the good of our nation.
Responding to Kwataine Minister Bottoman promised that he will go and meet his counterparts in order to jointly address some of challenges which Baobab has raised.
“We came here to appreciate efforts which Baobab is playing we have taken note about their concerns and promise to help address them,” He said.
Speaking earlier, Director of Information, Gideon Munthali highlighted measures which Government is undertaking in order to improve ICT in Malawi.
He said government will erect 136 Towers country wide to deal with network connectivity.
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One of the best IT institutions Malawi has ever produced. In terms of ICT for health this organization has been a giant and attracted several stakeholders. As usual, government of Malawi’s greedy and lack of effort to support local solutions is crippling the organization. If there was anything the governement of Malawi to support or turn into a statutory corporation, Baoabab Health should have been one of them