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"content": "fortunate in this country that there are close to 5,000 kilometers of FOC which have been laid. We are fortunate that there are four major servers that are serving the FOC in this country. We have the East African Marine System (TEAMS), Seacom, Easy and the Lion. Therefore, we have no restriction. Because of the availability of these servers here, the cost of using these facilities has significantly come down. Therefore, it is very opportune that this can be utilized to serve and improve the health services. Thirdly, Madam Temporary Speaker, the FOC available is easily accessed by business people who have an interest in making some money out of it. It is also easily available to other calibres of people who find immediate use for it. The unfortunate thing is that these things will only be available in Government institutions by the action of the Government. This is the reason this Motion has been brought here. This Motion is really urging the Government to do the last mile lay down of the FOC so that these institutions can reach out in the usage of the equipment. As it is at the moment, the FOC is laid, but the last mile is missing. That last mile is between the termination of the FOC and the hospital receptions, wards and surgery theatres where it can be put into good use. Madam Temporary Speaker, I need not belabour so much about the gains that we will have if we have the FOC in our institutions. First, the level and accuracy of diagnosis in this country will significantly go up because it will be a collective decision by several experts who are communicating using this system. Therefore, it is possible that the decisions that more consultants make by consulting each other through this system will give a better diagnosis for the patients that are being served. Secondly, Madam Temporary Speaker, there is inordinately long time that elapses before a diagnosis is made. There is also a long time that elapses before a patient is managed. It is my conviction that with easy, faster and more reliable communication like that provided by the ICT system at the moment. It can significantly reduce the time in which a patient can be diagnosed, managed and treated. Therefore, this will be more efficient, reliable and, probably, save more lives than it is doing at the moment. Thirdly, Madam Temporary Speaker, it is possible that we can actually start selling services to other areas which have the telecommunication systems, but which are lacking in personnel. We do know that with telemedicine, it is very possible for a consultant sitting somewhere in one capital city of a country and treat a patient in another country. We have this example in India. At the moment, the greatest revenue earner for the Indian sub-continent is medical tourism. This is a result of the usage of ICT in managing patients from all over the world by providing infrastructure and using the personnel that are sitting somewhere in New York, France and in all other parts of the country. Through the use of ICT, they have been able to manage patients situated in India. One of the frameworks they have put in place, of course, is the FOC. I am sure that this can be done in this country which has invested so much money in education. We have a significant number of consultants who can actually offer consultancy services, not only to this country, but to other countries as well. If we were to do that with slight amendments to the regulations that govern the practice of medicine in this country, we can very easily be offering medical services and treatment, becoming an income earner for our nation through the use of telemedicine. This can only be done if we are using the ICT system. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}