Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Dell, Intel partner Sabaoth Tech seek healthcare reform with Latitude 10



Computer manufacturer, Dell West Africa in collaboration with counterpart in chipsets, Intel Corporation has partnered Sabaoth Technologies Limited on how to deploy Information Technology (IT) to deliver quality healthcare to Nigerians.

Speaking in Lagos, the Client Product Marketing Manager of Dell West Africa, Mrs. Annie Odo Effiong told DigitalSENSE Business News that the partnership is part of Dell’s drive to advance technology in the healthcare sector and create value for customers.

This, she said, Dell embarked on as part of its contribution to the transformation agenda of the Federal Government with the launch of its new Intel-powered tablet for healthcare, Latitude 10.

According to her, Dell seeks to enhance the use of technology in healthcare by introducing a new dimension to healthcare products and services that could offer better diagnosis and treatment as well as communication with patients, linking doctors with other doctors and generally enabling healthy living.

Odo-Effiong also said that it was necessary to highlight the current perspectives in innovative technology towards improving healthcare solutions and increasing business growth and healthcare development.

“For more than 28 years, Dell has empowered countries, communities, its customers and indeed people everywhere to use technology in the realization of their dreams. Today, we celebrate the launch of the Dell tablet with Intel inside that will deliver technology solutions in healthcare anywhere, any day,” she said.

Equally speaking on Intel’s mobility solutions, Market Development Manager, Intel Corporation West Africa, Mr. Olufemi  Babajide highlighted that Intel, more than driving Personal Computing (PC) technology, is keen on enhancing user experience of mobile technology in every field of endeavour.

He emphasized that for them at Intel, championing the cause of technology in Nigeria, Africa and the world is at the heart of their business and this has informed innovative nature from inception till date.

“Every day, new concepts, procedures and devices associated with the use of technology in medical research and clinical practice are developed and Intel is proud to power such technologies,” he said.

The tablet computer, he said, has made enormous strides in the last few years and this has become the weapon of choice for most computer users as they offer great user experience, with effective operating systems that provide considerable power for the current generation of tablets making them fun and useful.

Speaking to DigitalSENSE Business News, the Lead Consultant, Health Informatics, Sabaoth Technologies Limited, Dr. Simpa Dania cited the project on SMS4Pregnancy for instance, noting that appropriate and timely information is unquestionably a very important factor in pregnancy, stressing that with the present daunting statistics of Nigeria’s maternal mortality rate, very many women do not have access to this much needed information.

His team, Dr. Dania said, has put together in short message service [sms] mode, critical information a woman needs to know to have an uneventful pregnancy and a safe delivery as well as an immediate access to trusted medical information and guidance.

The system, he said, is designed in such a way that the patient gets a text message every day through the entire period of her pregnancy and afterwards between three (3) months (1 year), adding that with this she has the right information at her finger tips wherever she may be.

“We also have included a SMS hotline for interactivity as well as a medical call center to be manned by health professionals,” he said, whereas this service is being translated to the major indigenous language namely Ibo, Hausa, and Yoruba, while it would further be converted to provide voice call and audio files which could be referenced from the mobile phones of the pregnant women so as to make access ubiquitous.
 
DigitalSENSE Business News recalls that the conference explored the way forward with information technology and its application to healthcare within the Nigerian context to meet the needs of its citizens.

Remmy Nweke
... Making SENSE of digital revolution!

No comments: