Dr. Shariq Khoja
Mental, neurological and substance use (MNS) disorders make a large part of health challenges facing people across the world. Despite this global problem, there is a huge gap between individuals in need of mental health treatments and those who actually receive such care. To reduce this gap and to provide good quality care as efficiently as possible, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that the assessment and management of MNS disorders should be in primary healthcare (PHC) and community settings. However, following questions need to be answered by each health system:
- Is the community sufficiently aware of mental health issues and ready to address this problem?
- Do the people suffering from mental health issues and their families understand the importance of seeking help for mental health issues and are comfortable reaching out to the available resources?
- Are there enough health providers trained at the community level to identify, screen, triage and support mental health problems?
- Are enough experts available in all locations to provide guidance and treatment to people suffering from mental health issues and their families?
- Is the health system prepared to deal with the huge burden of mental health problems.
Telemedicine has been used in many countries to answer the above questions and address mental health problems universally at all levels of care. Tech4Life Enterprises has been at the forefront in developing technology and applications for use of telemedicine in mental health, also referred as Telemental health. Tech4Life introduced a large scale Telemental health program in Afghanistan, which has proven the viability of low-cost and accessible interventions for the remotest communities with extremely limited resources.
The project in Afghanistan helped several millions of people used a mix of conventional methods and mobile technology to improve mental health in the province of Badakshan. The project involves improving awareness in the community about mental health, supporting frontline health workers through regular training sessions and decision support, and doing online consultations with the psychiatrist based at the provincial hospital using a highly dynamic mobile telemedicine solution. These consultations were made using smartphones and laptop computers and connecting through 3G connectivity. The software supported community-based awareness programs, learning sessions for health providers at all levels and interactive tools for screening people, especially young adults for mental health problems, such as Depression, anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Drug-Abuse.
This is a rare example of successful use of technology for improving access to health care at a large scalein extremely remote parts of the world. Please contact Tech4Life Enterprises at info@tech4lifeenterprises.com for more information and support for your mental initiatives.
Shariq Khoja, CEO – Tech4Life Enterprises