Health Care : Current Reviews

Saving lives of mothers and newborns in remote areas of the World through regular monitoring during pregnancy

Global Summit on Telemedicine & eHealth

August 17-18, 2015 Houston, USA

Shariq Khoja1, Nida Husyin1, Suha Tirmizi2 and Abdul Muqeet2

1Tech4Life Enterprises, Pakistan and Canada 2Aga Khan Development Network, Pakistan

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: Health Care: Current Reviews

Abstract:

This study awarded by Grand Challenges Canada as part of the Rising Star in Global Health grant, has developed simple, non-invasive, and cost-effective wristband with GSM connectivity for pregnant mothers to monitor their blood pressure, heamoglobin level, and blood sugar and automatically transfer the data to health providers. This band is a customized machine composed of separately designed units containing sensors for medical devices, Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Global System of Mobile Communication (GSM) circuitries which will collect process and encrypt the vital sign information and tag patient�??s position on it. This wristband has to be worn by pregnant women for five minutes to get the haemoglobin, blood glucose and blood pressure readings. These measurements, along with the coordinates for mother�??s position through GPS are sent to the health provider or a central server using Short Messaging Service (SMS) in the remote areas where basic mobile connectivity is available. The study will increase in the number of mothers being monitored for blood pressure, haemoglobin and blood glucose on a regular basis; provide better collection and management of information on pregnant women at the local health facilities; deliver early identification of high-risk cases in the community; and offer cost saving for mothers and the health system by saving on frequency of visits to the health facilities. This maternal wristband will bring technological, social and business innovation in the low and middle income countries.

Biography :

Shariq Khoja is a seasoned researcher and high profile leader in the area of eHealth and eLearning. He has experience of over 15 years leading Health systems initiatives which focus on evidence and policies towards implementation of eHealth in developing countries. He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary, and has written over 50 papers and several book chapters, along with developing tools for organizational needs and readiness assessment, and evaluation of eHealth initiatives. He currently leads eHealth initiatives in South and Central Asia and East Africa.

Email: khojashariq@gmail.com