World Telehealth Initiative

WORLD TELEHEALTH INITIATIVE PROVIDES SUSTAINABLE MEDICAL EXPERTISE TO THE WORLD'S MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES TO BUILD LOCAL CAPACITY AND ADVANCE CORE HEALTH SERVICES THROUGH A NETWORK OF VOLUNTEER HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS SUPPORTED BY TELEHEALTH TECHNOLOGY.

RAPID RESPONSE: WHEN THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN UKRAINE BEGAN, WTI RECOGNIZED AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE MEDICAL EXPERTISE TO THOSE WHO NOW FOUND THEMSELVES IN COMBAT ZONES, WITHOUT ACCESS TO TIME-SENSITIVE MEDICAL SOLUTIONS. IN MARCH 2022, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UKRAINE MINISTRY OF HEALTH, WE INITIATED OUR FIRST RAPID RESPONSE CRISIS EFFORTS, WHERE WE CONTINUE TO SERVE 26 UKRAINIAN CLINICS AND OUTPOSTS. THE DONATION OF 18 LITE V3 TELEHEALTH DEVICES ALONG WITH 8 MICROSOFT SURFACE PROS HAS ENABLED WTI TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IN UKRAINE, FOCUSING ON HIGH-ACUITY CARE, SURGICAL MENTORING, TRAINING, AND CLINICAL CONSULTATIONS. THESE TELEHEALTH DONATIONS, ALONG WITH OUR VAST NETWORK OF VOLUNTEER MEDICAL EXPERTS, HAVE EMPOWERED UKRAINIAN SURGEONS AND CLINICIANS WITH SPECIALIZED COMBAT TRAUMA TRAINING AND CONTINUOUS EXPERT SUPPORT. BY BRIDGING GEOGRAPHICAL BARRIERS, WTI'S INNOVATIVE MODEL NOT ONLY DELIVERS IMMEDIATE RELIEF BUT ALSO LAYS THE FOUNDATION FOR SUSTAINED HEALING IN EASTERN EUROPE.

IN 2022, THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDED/INCREASED MEDICAL EXPERTISE TO UKRAINE, KENYA, AND, NIGERIA.IN ADDITION, ONGOING MEDICAL EXPERTISE ASSOCIATED WITH PRIOR YEAR(S) DEVICE CONTRIBUTIONS WERE PROVIDED TO IMPOVERISHED COMMUNITIES IN GUINEA, MALAWI, PUERTO RICO, HAITI, BANGLADESH, ETHIOPIA , CAMBODIA, VIETNAM, ARGENTINA, AND KASHMIR.

MATERNAL MEDICINE, PEDIATRICS AND NEONATOLOGY: TO ADDRESS THE GLOBAL HEALTHCARE VOID FACING WOMEN AND CHILDREN, WTI SUPPORTED THESE UNDERSERVED GROUPS ON THREE DIFFERENT CONTINENTS IN 2022. ONE EXAMPLE IS ARGENTINA, WHERE WTI'S INNOVATIVE MODEL HELPS CHILDREN AT TWO PEDIATRIC HOSPITALS IN THE MOUNTAINOUS NORTHERN REGION OF THE COUNTRY, SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO AND SALTA. MANY CHILDREN IN THE ICU AT THESE REMOTE LOCATIONS URGENTLY NEED TO SEE SPECIALISTS THAT ARE NOT AVAILABLE LOCALLY. THEY ARE OFTEN CRITICALLY ILL AND UNABLE TO TRAVEL TO A LARGER CITY TO RECEIVE THE CARE THEY NEED, EITHER DUE TO THEIR MEDICAL CONDITION OR THE EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH TRAVELING. OUR PROGRAM OFFERS PATIENTS IN CRITICAL CONDITION ACCESS TO ANY SPECIALIST THEY MAY NEED, WHEN THEY NEED THEM, WITHOUT TRAVELING A SINGLE MILE. WITH WTI'S TECHNOLOGY AND SUPPORT, SPECIALISTS FROM GARRAHAN PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL IN BUENOS AIRES SUPPORT LOCAL CLINICIANS WITH COMPLEX EMERGENCY CASES TO DIAGNOSE PATIENTS IN CRITICAL CONDITION, QUICKLY DEVELOP A CARE PLAN, AND GUIDE COMPLICATED SURGICAL PROCEDURES, CHANGING LIVES IN WAYS NOT SEEN BEFORE.

NIGERIA/SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: AFRICA SUFFERS 24% OF THE GLOBAL DISEASE BURDEN BUT ONLY HAS ACCESS TO 3% OF THE WORLD'S HEALTH WORKERS. THIS CREATES MAJOR GAPS IN THE ALREADY UNDER-RESOURCED NIGERIAN HEALTH SYSTEM, LEAVING MANY PATIENTS WITHOUT ACCESS TO VITAL HEALTH SERVICES. WTI'S PROGRAM ADDRESSES THESE ISSUES BY EXPANDING HEALTHCARE ACCESS THROUGH A CLINICAL MENTORSHIP PROGRAM IN OPOJI, NIGERIA. THE KINGDOM OF OPOJI IS A GROUP OF RURAL VILLAGES IN SOUTHERN NIGERIA, WHERE MOST RESIDENTS ARE FARMERS. OPOJI HAS A REMARKABLY HIGH DEATH RATE DUE TO PREVENTABLE AND TREATABLE ILLNESSES. THE NEAREST HOSPITAL IS 38 MILES AWAY AND IS LARGELY INACCESSIBLE DUE TO POVERTY AND LACK OF TRANSPORTATION. OUR PROGRAM TRAINS AND SUPPORTS PHYSICIANS, MEDICAL STUDENTS, AND CARE TEAMS IN OPOJI SO THEY ARE EQUIPPED TO ADDRESS MORE COMPLEX AND SPECIALIZED HEALTH NEEDS IN THEIR COMMUNITY. VIA OUR TELEHEALTH DEVICES, MEDICAL SPECIALISTS FROM PROVIDENCE, ONE OF THE UNITED STATES' LARGEST NOT FOR PROFIT HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS, REGULARLY MENTOR LOCAL HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS IN OPOJI, UPSKILLING LOCAL CLINICIANS AND PROVIDING KNOWLEDGE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.