The move comes following the signing of a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) earlier signed by the two institutions to help improve quality data management at the country’s main referral hospital.
Welcoming the gathering, John Jabang, former head at the Department of Surgery at EFSTH, who was key in the whole initiative, said the day is a dream come true and that it is history made for posterity.
“I and my colleagues are indeed most delighted and fulfilled that this great milestone is now a reality.”
Jabang acknowledged that in this day and age, EMR has revolutionised medical practice and it has become an integral part of medical practice.
“I can confidently say that one folder and if not more out of every 10 folders will eventually be untraceable in EFSTH. Most researches by Medical Students are incomplete and in fact affecting overall research potentials of EFSTH.”
He affirmed that MRC and EFSTH relations need a paradigm shift and thanked Unit Head Dr Umberto and all those who played a part in making the initiative a success.
David Nwakanma, director of Operations at MRCG, expressed appreciation on behalf of MRCG to be associated with the pilot launch of the EMR System at the hospital.
The project, he added, is a laudable initiative and that all the funds put into it is well spent, further saying that the project is being rolled out to other departments within the hospital.
He added that the onset of the project would help enhance service delivery at the hospital, further thanking the steering committee who worked tirelessly to get the system up and running.
For his part, Dr. Ammar Al Jafari, chief Medical Director at EFSTH, expressed appreciation to MRC Gambia team on behalf of the management and all the patients at the hospital.
He described the project as a laudable initiative especially in data management, noting that this is the first step of many projects that the two institutions would partner in ensuring quality service delivery.
He thus described the launch of the software as timely and important as health facilities around the globe are moving towards digitalisation of data.
Dr. Umberto D’ Alessandro, head of Unit, Medical Research Council Gambia office, described the move as an important initiative, recalling that the development of this Electronic Medical Records System took them years.
He revealed that it was one of the first projects he embarked on when he took over as head of Unit at MRCG and that it was developed, thanks to the collaboration of technicians and staff of the unit.
The EMR, he added, is a unique and flexible system that would significantly enhance services especially in data management.
Dr. Umberto thus expressed his resolve to continue working with EFSTH to enhance quality data management system.
He spoke highly of this new system and that the new technology revolutionizes the health care sector and thanked all those who worked behind the scenes.
Dr. Mustapha Bittaye, director of Health Services at the Ministry of Health, expressed appreciation on behalf of the Ministry to the MRCG for the collaboration.
He disclosed that it is part of the Ministry’s dream and drives to digitalise the whole sector.
This, he added, would ensure easy retrieval and better storage of data.
“We have started in some areas like Expanded Programme on Immunization. We also digitalized our Logistic and Management System and there is a team working on it before it is finally rolled out.”
Dr. Bittaye spoke at length on some current work geared towards digitalising key department, pointing out Electronic Health Insurance System.
He underscored the importance of having an electronic data management system in place, as it is less cost-effective and saves time.
Provost of Medical School at the University of The Gambia also spoke at the ceremony.
The launch also witnessed presentation of some of the features in the EMR software by head of Applications Development and E–Health, Gillen Thomas, who is one of the brains behind the initiative.
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