Under the chairmanship of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Health and Social Development Dr. Ahmed Baba, the World Health Organization (WHO), held a partnership development workshop around digital and digital health in Mali. The project aims to increase access to solar energy and telehealth in community health and referral centres.
The SanDi Project is a joint initiative (UNDP, WHO, WFP, UNICEF and the University of Sherbrooke) that contributes to ongoing Malian government efforts, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and the United Nations joint programming framework for the COVID-19 response in Mali. Thanks to the availability of renewable energy sources, the project has computerized 21 Community Health Centers, with the aim of improving the supply of quality care and medical evacuations in the health districts of Kayes, Kolokani, Sikasso, Barouéli, Mopti, Bandiangara and commune I of Bamako, to make telemedicine equipment available in the health districts, to facilitate quality care at any time of the year, trained 400 health workers, including 30% of women on digital health, infection prevention and control and preventive maintenance of computer and solar equipment, supported a network of 60 women’s associations on IGAs linked to renewable energies, strengthened the central telemedicine infrastructure, set up sets up the national digital health coordination platform, to allow synergies between the various players in the field.
For the representative of the WHO, José Kuvula, this workshop represents an important moment in the strengthening of cooperative relations between Mali and its partners. It illustrates the exemplary partnership in the field of health in general, it is also a note of hope for the future of Mali and its children, he said.
UNDP representative Yahya Ba, in turn, pointed out that this program since its launch in November 2021, it has always benefited from the support of the health department. We are counting on the unwavering support of all TFPs under the leadership of the Ministry of Health and Social Development to continue this work “All these encouraging results from the initial phase of SanDi encourage us to continue to support the rise of our system in a holistic way thanks to the potential of renewable energies and digital health” On behalf of the UNDP, he reiterated to work alongside the Malian government in its efforts to consolidate peace, fight against poverty and strengthen cohesion and social protection.
In his opening speech, Dr. Hamed Baba, the representative of the Minister of Health and Social Development, said that the department is happy to see the results of the SanDi project, an innovative initiative that has been set up to generalize the use of solar energy and telehealth in Community Reference Health Centers.
B. Diarra
Source: Mali24info