Kenyans to consult doctors through video chat

Kenya: Patients will soon be able to consult their doctors online using mobile devices rather than making physical trips to hospitals or clinics.

Through a specially-developed mobile application, patients will have direct access to hundreds of doctors online through video chat or skype, from wherever they are.

This is the first time such a service is becoming officially available in Kenya and East Africa region, although it has been used successfully by doctors in the United States and Europe to conduct consultations.

Charles Kamotho, a Consultant Physician in Nairobi who is behind the initiative, said the online consultation is meant to reduce the huge burden that Kenyans face in seeing qualified doctors including long distances, long waiting hours and high cost of medical consultations.

"Currently, many Kenyans tend to avoid the hustles of seeing doctors whenever they fall ill. They instead go straight to pharmacies to purchase medicine without prescription from doctors, which is unsafe for them. We want to make it easier for them to access qualified doctors from their mobile devices," said Dr Kamotho.

He added: "Once patients log into the application through their mobile devices, they are able to see all the doctors who are available for consultation. So far, more than 300 doctors can be consulted online and more will also join in soon."

CONSULTATION FEE

The online video consultations initially cost Sh500 for a 15-minute session, payable through mobile money transfer. This form of tele-medicine, which is successfully practised in the United States and Europe, is a first in Kenya.

Kamotho said all doctors who are available for consultation are qualified and licensed by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board.

"By making doctors easily available for consultation, Kenyans will have less problems that are associated with taking medication without proper prescription from qualified doctors. This will help to save more lives and protect the health of more people," he said.

Apart from the video consultation, patients can also link up with doctors through a special website where they can access information about how to find them and their speciality.

Through www.FindaDoctor.co.ke patients can locate a doctor by name, speciality, county, insurance company as well as the languages he/she speaks.

"This makes it easier to find the right doctor at any time anywhere in the country, public and private. We also intend to extend our services," said Kamotho.

The website also features an online diary to track the patient's blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. Using this feature called 'Keep Trac', the patient can keep a record of these readings and access them any time.

The patients can also send the information directly to their doctor from the site and the doctor can write back to them with comments or recommendations.

The website has won an award for innovation in Health Care Delivery from the then Kenya Information Communication and Technology Authority.