Improving Planetary Health & Health Inequity through Telemedicine
The Virtual Doctors have been actively working to improve health inequity in Africa for the past 10 years, through the use of telemedicine. More recently we have been working with the Zambian Ministry of Health, to provide improved water and sanitation stations to the 140 clinics that we support in rural Zambia.
Dr Daniel Grace, our Medical Director, looks at how climate change is already impacting upon the health conditions faced by patients in Africa, and explores how this is set to worsen in the future, unless we change the way we are treating our planet.
What is Planetary Health?
Planetary health is a field focused on characterizing the human health impacts of human-caused disruptions of Earth's natural systems[1]. The video below made by the Wellcome Trust explains in more detail what planetary health is and why it so important:
Countries such as Zambia, where we provide telemedical advice to over 140 clinics, are likely to feel the brunt of many of the challenges described in the above video. Global warming, an increased average temperature and reduced seasonal variability may all contribute to the resurgence and spread of malaria to areas that are not currently affected. These changes will have a knock-on impact on malaria control programs, that are already facing growing drug and insecticide resistance worldwide.
Data already shows that cases of malaria and West Nile Fever are reaching new geographical regions, whilst infectious diseases, such as Ebola, are posing a renewed threat as natural habitats are disturbed, pushing animal vectors into closer contact with human populations[3].
Changing environmental conditions will also impact upon farming practices, crop yields and soil erosion, and consequently there is likely to be an increased risk of drought, famine and malnutrition. More than 844 million people (more than 10% of the global population) do not have clean drinking water and 2.3 billion (about one-third) do not have adequate sanitation2. This results in an increased burden of disease and deaths, particularly due to diarrhoeal disease and most often in children under 5 years of age.
As populations grow, mass urbanization is likely to continue, and unless adequate attention is given to housing, WASH and waste disposal programs, the figures mentioned above may worsen. Population growth and migration can also result in a widening of health inequity, principally due to a mismatch in the demand and provision of healthcare services.
The majority of hospitals and specialist centres tend to be focused in larger towns and cities, leaving rural populations at a disadvantage when it comes to accessing medical care. Patients may often have to travel over long distances, often at great personal expense to be seen by a specialist or have appropriate diagnostic investigations. Through the use of telemedicine, we reduce the need for patients to travel into major cities and across countries, with a service that improves the knowledge of local healthcare professionals, empowering them to support each other through challenging patient cases. No getting in cars or planes just a simple use of technology and volunteers.
The Virtual Doctors is not just a telemedicine service reducing health inequalities within our target populations. As we move into a new decade, as an organisation we will strive to promote and engage with planetary health and all of the risks and opportunities that this may bring, so that we can help safeguard the health of future generations.
If your organisation is interested in learning about how healthcare technology is adapting and responding in the midst of climate change why not get in touch with us.
This flowchart from the Lancet illustrates the impact that we have had on our planet and how this is forecast to increase over the next 30 years:
