A new private partnership in Malaysia aims to equip rural clinics with telehealth capabilities over the next two years.
Rural broadband service provider MEASAT and local health IT company Mudah Healthtech have signed a memorandum of understanding to enable the provision of digital healthcare services in rural communities and remote areas.
They aim to deliver up to 2,000 Mudah’s Sihat Xpress telehealth kiosks serve at least 1,000 rural physicians in areas covered by CONNECTme NOW, MEASAT’s satellite broadband service.
MEASAT and Mudah officially launch their partnership by launching their first telehealth kiosk at Kg Togop Darat 1, a village in Ranau, Sabah.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
About one million residents live in nearly 4,000 broadband hotspots covered by MEASAT’s service in rural Malaysia.
The Sihat Xpress telehealth kiosks will allow them to seek online consultation for various non-urgent medical concerns. They can also check their blood oxygen levels, blood pressure, body temperature as well as blood sugar early.
MEASAT noted in a statement that equipping rural medical facilities with telehealth capabilities could ultimately help reduce overcrowding and long wait times.
Providing self-service telehealth kiosks to rural populations will also help them take control of their health, improve health literacy, and prevent them from developing non-communicable diseases. .
THE LARGER CONTEXT
Enabling equitable access to quality healthcare is one of the Malaysian government’s health priorities. In the 12th Malaysia Plan 2021-2025, the federal government has outlined a number of initiatives to meet this challenge, including leveraging emerging technologies and adopting industrial technologies 4.0 like AI and big data analytics. Expansion of virtual clinic services is also planned.
Contributing to the effort to digitalize healthcare services in Malaysia, The Malaysian Medical Tourism Council last year signed a memorandum of understanding with HIMSS to help hospitals be assessed and accredited for their digital maturity models.
ON PROFILE
“We believe that telemedicine services through Sihat Xpress have a role to play in addressing the shortage of medical professionals in remote areas and helping people receive medical advice more conveniently without There is no need to travel long distances. This is in line with our efforts to send mobile laboratories to remote districts to conduct medical examinations and encourage integration and cooperation between government, private sector and the public to raise awareness about healthcare and improve wellbeing,” Flovia Ng, Assistant Minister of Community Development and People’s Welfare of Sabah, said in the launch of MEASAT and Mudah’s telehealth partnership.
MEASAT COO Yau Chyong said: “Through digital healthcare, we aim to help reduce the healthcare delivery gap in remote communities, empowering rural people Villagers proactively monitor their health through regular check-ups and online consultations without having to spend time and money traveling long distances to a health care facility.” Lam also said.
