Building aTelepreventive Medicine Program For The

Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN)

President Shams Kassim Lakha, Dr Sunita Dodani & Professor Ronald E LaPorte

In collaboration with the Aga khan University, Pakistan & University of Pittsburgh, USA

AKDN & SupercoursePresentation Outline

• Concept of telepreventive medicine• Current supercourse network• AKDN spread globally• Current linkages of AKDN with supercourse• Objectives of telepreventive medicine• Preventive cardiology program as a model

“The ability to project programmes and activities over great distances can bring educational opportunities and resources into settings where they are poorly developed at present, because of financial constraints, or sheer isolation. Where individuals have access to computers in their homes or, as will be the case in rural areas in developing countries for some time to come, in community centers, technology can provide the first real opportunity for lifelong education on a broad scale”

His Highness the Aga Khan, Washington, 2001

Concept Of Telepreventive Medicine

Definition of Prevention “Actions aimed at eradicating, eliminating,

or minimizing the impact of disease and disability. The concept of prevention is best defined in the context of levels, traditionally called primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention”

A Dictionary of Epidemiology, Fourth Edition

Edited by John M. Last

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990

(Age

in y

ears

) World

LessDeveloped

MoreDeveloped

Rising Life Expectancy (WHO Report, 1997)

Global Burden Of Disease Project1996 report

33

58

1710

1990 2020

Chronic/InjuryInfectious/Other

Global Burden Of Disease Project1996 report

Developed Countries

22%

Developing Countries

78%

Focus On Prevention

WHO focuses on prevention, not clinical care. Prevention has brought global improvement of health this century and will continue into the next. The most powerful means to improve health in your country and the world is through prevention approaches.

WHO report 1997

Concept of Telepreventive MedicineTelepreventive medicine

Inexpensive Low to High bandwidth systems designed to reach large numbers of healthy people to prevent disease.

Telemedicine Expensive High bandwidth systems

designed to reach small numbers of sick people to cure disease.

Focus On Prevention Increased life expectancy in the past century

was achieved through the improvement of sanitation and prevention

Successful prevention in the past and in the future needs to be rooted in the networking of health professionals around the world to share their knowledge

Much of the prevention is information transfer

The internet is the prevention superhighway

Supercourse - Model Of Global Health Network

The Global Health Network represents a group of leading public health and telecommunications officials who are bringing state of the art Internet technology into global health.

Mission To connect people involved in prevention

worldwide

Global Health NetworkGlobal health network components• Connecting health professionals of developed and

developing countries together through internet• Sharing best knowledge of prevention and health

in a very cost effective manner• Distributing prevention knowledge both in the

rural and urban parts of the world with primary focus in developing countries

• Networking NGOs

Global Health Network• Currently more than 151 countries are connected

through supercourse• More than 1,500 lectures available on the website

http://www.pitt.edu/~super1• More than 40% members are from developing

countries.• In Pakistan, there are 510 members and 45 from AKU• We share knowledge, all countries contribute the

knowledge• Islamic supercourse

Supercourse in Pakistan• Supercourse in Pakistan was

established and developed from the grass roots in September 2002.

• Currently this network consist of over 510 leading scientists who share teleprevention information in all part of Pakistan, both in urban and rural parts http://www.pitt.edu/~super1/pakistan/pakistan.htm

Aga Khan Development networkAKDN

A group of private, international, nondenominational agencies working to improve living conditions and opportunities for people regions of the developing world.

The focuses on health, education, culture, rural development, institution-building and the promotion of economic development. It is dedicated to improving living conditions and opportunities for the poor, without regard to their faith, origin or gender

AKDN AKDN seek to reach people without access

to services, complementing but not substituting the efforts of government and other providers.

Network agencies function through the participation of local people at all levels – in defining services needed, providing them and evaluating their effectiveness.

Supporting 22 countries world wide

AKDN

AKDN

Areas of development• Education (primarily medical and primary)• Health (primary, secondary & tertiary• Culture• Architecture• Economic development• NGO enhancement• Rural development

AKDNHealth• Improve the health and well-being of remote

rural communities.• Special attention to women and children.• Examples are seen in rural support programs

in Pakistan, India, Kenya etc

Educational services• Community based schools (e.g. in Pakistan

rural northern areas)• Center of excellence offering international

curricula ( India, Bangladesh etc)

AKDNAga Khan University

• Chartered as Pakistan’s first private international university in 1983,

• Promote human welfare by disseminating

knowledge and providing instruction, training,

research and services in health sciences, education and other disciplines.

“Where individuals have access to computers in their homes or, as will be the case in rural areas in developing countries for some time to come, in community centers, technology can provide the first real opportunity for lifelong education on a broad scale. One lesson is clear. The mastery of the use of the essential elements of communication and information technologies will have to be part of the experience of every university student sooner rather than later. The use of the technology should have a place in the educational process itself, and its mastery should be on the list of competencies that every graduate should possess”. His Highness, Washington, 2001

Proposed Telepreventive Medicine program for AKDN

Objectives• Develop a network of researchers, scientists and health care

professionals of AKDN and global health countries, who are experts in prevention and connect them through Supercourse to the global scientists.

• Establish WHO collaborating centers in AKDN countries with the collaboration of University of Pittsburgh

• Establish first Public health School in AKDN countries in collaboration with WHO collaborating center of University of Pittsburgh and global health network.

• Develop Telepreventive Cardiology nationwide program as an offshoot of global health network in AKDN countries

Proposed Telepreventive Cardiology Program For AKDN Countries

Objectives• Develop a network of cardiologists, scientists and

specialist around the world to share their expertise on preventive cardiology themes with AKDN countries.

• Formulate guidelines and protocols on the major risk factors and behaviors of Cardiovascular diseases by linking developed and developing world through telepreventive medicine network

• Establish WHO collaborating centers in the Aga khan university of preventive cardiology with the collaboration with WHO collaborating center of University of Pittsburgh and global health network.

Current AKDN Countries And Spread Of Supercourse Network

3Mauritius 9

2Niger 10

3Nepal 11

(Cont’d)

1Madagascar 8

18 (also from AKHS, Kenya) Kenya 7

400India 6

0Cote D’lvoire 5

1Congo 4

787Canada 3

0Burkina Faso 2

3Bangladesh 1

AKDN Countries Supercourse Members In AKDN Countries

AKDN Countries Supercourse Members In AKDN Countries

Current AKDN Countries And Spread Of Supercourse Network (Cont’d)

17Nigeria 12

510 (45 in AKU)Pakistan 13

5Senegal 14

24Switzerland 15

2Tajikistan 16

12Tanzania 17

208UK 18

5Uganda 19

3689USA 20

7344Total

AKDN Countries Supercourse Members In AKDN Countries

AKDN Countries Supercourse Members In AKDN Countries

Telepreventive Medicine program In AKDN countries

Networking• Head quarters at the Aga khan university• A group of scientists will be developed by linking with

developed countries scientists through internet• This network will than serve to provide and share

prevention knowledge to al AKDN countries• Members from AKDN countries will be identified who

will further spread knowledge in health care professionals, health workers, communities and rural areas.

• Students trained will carry prevention knowledge to rural areas.

AKDN Web of Prevention

Kenya

Central Asia

University of Pittsburgh

Global Health Network

Bangladesh

Northern Areas of Pakistan

Harvard

AKU

FSU

Proposed Telepreventive Medicine program for AKDNPartners• AKDN

Aga Khan university, Aga Khan foundation, Aga khan health services, Aga Khan educational services, Aga khan foundation, Aga Khan planning and building services & University of Central Asia

• University of PittsburghWHO Collaborating Center

• Global Health Network

“Development is sustainable only if the beneficiaries become, in a gradual manner, the masters of the process. This means that initiatives cannot be contemplatedexclusively in terms of economics, but rather as an integrated programme that encompasses social and cultural dimensions as well. Education and skills training, health and public services, conservation of cultural heritage, infrastructure development, urban planning and rehabilitation, rural development, water and energy management, environmental control, and even policy and legislative development are among the various aspects that must be takeninto account.”

His Highness AMSTERDAM, 7 SEPTEMBER 2002