PAN ASIA ICT R&D Grants Programme - UTM

workshop covered “Introduction to impacts. Some of the
Computer and Telemedicine”. The impacts were
project team trained the employees expected and part of
such that once they were trained; those the project objec-
employees could then train new and tives, but there were
subsidiary users to sustain the opera- also some interesting
tional continuity.
and beneficial
The main software used in the impacts which were
community health center was devel- not foreseen at the
oped using freeware, which was beginning of the
customized to include modules like project, such as: the
One of the Puskesmas being used as a test for ICT-based
maternal health care recording; PC significant increase Telemedicine System
based physiological measurement for the awareness on the
early detection; and diagnosis of use of PCs in the
selected maternal pregnancy.
target Puskesmas, Health Office and tive personnel from various
The project team used this project as the Referral Hospital; development of Puskesmas.
a case study to develop the ICT policy a Community Health Care Information At the start of the project, the team
recommendation. The recommenda- System (SIPKM = Sistem Informasi had to solve a number of technical and
tion provides relevant input to two Pelayanan Kesehatan Masyarakat) that management related problems.
currently drafted related-regulations in includes information on Puskesmas, Through continuous coordination and
Indonesia, i.e.: Draft of Presidential- medical doctors (general practitioners, efforts, the problems were gradually
decree on “E-Government” (status – 1st medical specialists, dentists), clinical solved. Finally, the project team would
draft to be tabled by end
like to recommend that the Indonesian
of 2002), and Draft Decree
Government, ICT related organiza-
of Minister of Transportions,
institutions, companies and the
tation/Communications
whole community actively promote
on “Contributions for the
and provide full support for the use of
USO/ Universal Service
ICT for Educational and Health Care
Obligations” (status – 1st
applications.
draft circulated in late
Moreover, the team would like to
2001).
specifically recommend: the Depart-
The results of similar
ment of Health, Department of Educa-
projects in other develoption,
and Department of Communicaing
countries indicated
tion & Information to take necessary
that even with the
supports and actions to enhance the use
relatively low-cost
of ICT for Educational and Health Care
internet-based system,
such usage for social and
Staff finishing up administration work in an examination
room
applications in Indonesia; related
organizations, institutions and compa-
community purposes would face laboratories, and pharmacies located in nies (for example: PT Telkom, PT
problems in operations maintainabil- Bandung. The System is accessible Indosat and other telecommunication/
ity and sustainability. The project team through the Internet, as well as
internet service providers) provide
proposed appropriate but prudent
“policy intervention ”to reform ICT
through the SMS; and
development of a Finger-
Computer training for Puskesmas doctors assisted by
Biomedical students
policy and infrastructure. If these print Identification system
recommendations were put in place, for Community Health
Internet usage for Social and Commu- Care applications which
nity purpose in developing countries will support patient data
would become a viable proposition. recording, retrieving and
reporting system.
Since human resource
Lasting Impacts
development is an important
aspect for the success of
At the end of the project, the team
noted a number of direct and indirect
the project, the project team
trained 80 medical doctors,
paramedics and administra-
ICT Policy Reform
18