Telemedicine in Ghana: Insight into the past and present, a narrative review of literature amidst the Coronavirus pandemic

Abstract

The Coronavirus pandemic has destabilized many healthcare systems globally since the outbreak was announced. The mode of transmission of the virus has affected the traditional face-to-face mode of seeking healthcare. The world health organization recommends measures, including limiting physical contact as a means of preventing the spread of the virus. Many countries across the world are utilizing telemedicine during this pandemic to provide basic healthcare to their citizens. The implementation of telemedicine in sub–Saharan Africa has encountered many challenges. The surge in the number of covid-19 cases in Ghana calls for drastic measures to contain the repercussions of the pandemic. The Government of Ghana and other private organizations continue to scale up efforts to integrate telemedicine into the mainstream healthcare system. This study seeks to explore and provide insight into the state of telemedicine in Ghana prior to and during the Coronavirus pandemic. This study is a narrative review of literature on the use of telemedicine in Ghana. Data was obtained from PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect, Scopus and Google Scholar. A secondary search was conducted on government of Ghana health agencies’ websites and other relevant websites that published information on telemedicine in Ghana. Literature was analysed and topically discussed based on identified themes. There is an improvement in the number of information and communication technology coordinated healthcare services in Ghana since the outbreak was confirmed. Public-private partnership is required to boost the integration of telemedicine into mainstream healthcare in Ghana.

Effectiveness of adjunct telephone-based postnatal care on maternal and infant illness in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana: a randomized controlled trial

“…This finding brings to the fore the importance of adoption of mobile health (mHealth) interventions in Ghana’s health care delivery. This is particularly important in the light new wave of telemedicine in Ghana heightened by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic [ 26 ]. In instances in the maternal, newborn and child health continuum of care, where virtual patient care, involving remote exchange of health information between health provider and patient becomes desirable either as a complementary or sole intervention, telephone-based intervention may serve as a foundation.…”

Ghana 3D Telemedicine International MDT: A proof-of-concept study

“…Nonetheless, the global infrastructure, human resources support and healthcare frameworks required to support Telemedicine already exist in many regions -supported by governmental, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and charities such as Swinfen Telemedicine 15 and Réseau en Afrique Francophone pour la Télémédecine (RAFT) 16 . In Ghana, mixed models such as the Ghana Telemedicine project (a joint programme between the Ghana Health Service, Ministry of Health and Novartis Foundation) exist, supported by an optical fibre backbone currently running along the Eastern corridor of Ghana 17 . Together these data highlight that there is scope, enthusiasm and infrastructure to further integrate telemedicine into the pre-surgical care pathway both for overseas visits and in-country health frameworks.…”