In 30 January 1998, the Prime Minister of Mozambique, Pascoal Mocumbi inaugurated the country’s first telemedicine link between Beira (which has a population of 350 000) and the capital, Maputo (with a population of 1 132 000). The new link uses digital microwave transmission between Maputo and Boane, the signal is then picked up by satellite from Boane to Beira. "Telemedicine will end the isolation which has, until now, existed between health professionals in the country", the Prime Minister told participants who witnessed the historical launch of one of Africa’s first pilot projects in telemedicine. "I urge all partners in this project, in particular, the Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicações de Moçambique to continue their efforts in finding innovative applications to telecommunications for the benefit of the entire society", he added.

The central hospitals of Beira and Maputo can now make use of standard low-cost teleradiology equipment to visualize and exchange real-time diagnostic images of patients. Doctors at the Beira Hospital will now be able to refer cases to Maputo for a primary or second opinion. The new facility will also make it possible to send to the capital medical records of patients in Beira to assess whether hospitalization is required before any transfer of a patient can take place. This will reduce significantly the inconveniences and unnecessary costs for patients and hospitals. The link will also be beneficial for clinical and educational purposes.

The project was identified jointly by the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) of the ITU and the health and telecommunication authorities of Mozambique. The launch of the teleradiology project marks a significant step towards evaluating the potential of information technology to solve some of the developing world’s most acute health care problems. The project is in line with the recommendations of the first World Telecommunication Development Conference (Buenos Aires, 1994) and the Regional Telecommunication Development Conferences for Africa (Abidjan, May 1996) and for the Arab States (Beirut, November 1996). It also follows the adoption of a major ITU report on telemedicine and developing countries, presented at the World Telemedicine Symposium for Developing Countries held in Portugal in June–July 1997.

"Among other things, the Mozambique project is a concrete example of the benefits of collaboration between developed and developing countries. It provides an excellent example of the benefits of close cooperation between telecommunication operators and health care professionals. Telemedicine will help extend specialist care to those currently without easy access to medical institutions or the specialists they actually need", said BDT Director, Ahmed Laouyane, during the inauguration. He stressed that a follow-up would be made in rder to assure a sustainable development of the project and gather valuable information on how to increase the use of telemedicine equipment and service.

The project has been carried out by a multidisciplinary group of partners including medical and telecommunication authorities, notably the Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicações de Moçambique, the country’s main operator, and a telemedicine equipment vendor, WDS Technologies of Geneva.

The Mozambique project is intended to serve as one of a series of case studies involving the BDT and other partners and as a model for other telemedicine projects to be undertaken through public and private initiatives. The case studies will show the different applications of telecommunication and information technologies in telemedicine and how telemedicine can help overcome some of the serious shortages in health care services in developing countries.

Already, in October 1997, ITU Secretary-General, Pekka Tarjanne, inaugurated the first of two telemedicine projects in Ukraine which are expected to help improve health care to victims of the Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster — the world’s worst nuclear accident which took place on 26 April 1986 in one of the four reactors of the nuclear power station. The continued release of radioactive nuclides over a period of several months after the accident, and their spread in the environment has posed major problems to the population in the areas surrounding the nuclear plant.

Arrangements are well under way to demonstrate, at the Valletta Conference, how technological development is continually adding to the potential of telemedicine for health promotion and protection.