Social Innovation

Addressing Medical Challenges in Emerging Countries with Remote Healthcare－Remote Healthcare Using Portable Medical Devices

Related SDGs

Remote Healthcare Using Portable Medical Devices

Addressing Medical Challenges in Emerging Countries with Remote Healthcare

In Bangladesh, lifestyle-related diseases are skyrocketing, and quickly responding to patient needs is a critical issue in the healthcare field. In rural areas, where 60% and more of the population lives, there is a shortage of medical facilities, equipment, and doctors. In order to receive medical treatment, patients must travel considerable distances to urban areas.
To address this challenge, Konica Minolta devised a remote diagnostic system that allows a rural clinic to take patient X-rays using portable equipment and upload the imaging data to the cloud, allowing doctors in the city to view the X-rays and make the appropriate diagnosis. After conducting a diagnostic pilot in 2017, paid medical examinations have been underway since September 2018 in the capital of Dhaka and the surrounding region, in a project adopted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Going forward, Konica Minolta will increase the number of examination sites outside the Dhaka region and prepare to verify the health checkup model by analyzing collected data.

X-ray exam using mobile imaging equipment