WASHINGTON, DC, March 18, 2025 (PAHO) – Complicated cardiovascular diseases, specialized prenatal ultrasound management, and diagnosis of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis can be performed in the furthest parts of the Americas thanks to the launch of the PAN American Health Organization (PAHO) telehealth kit. The kits that form part of the organization's All in One Telehealth packages are just one-fifth of the cost of purchasing equipment individually, providing the country with everything they need to set up telehealth services in rural and difficult-to-reach communities throughout the region.
In the Americas, approximately 35% of the population lacks access to the necessary health services, primarily due to organizational, financial and geographical barriers. For Dr Sebastian Garcia Saiso, director of evidence and intelligence for behavior in Paho's health, “Telehealth kits are an important step in democratizing comprehensive primary healthcare services and bringing them to the populations that need them most – from the jungle of Amazon Rainforest to the peak of the island of Calbean.”
Available through PAHO's Regional Rotating Fund, the kit includes what is needed to set up remote health services on-site, through a pool sourcing mechanism that allows American countries to affordable access to quality vaccines, essential medicines, supplies and health technologies. This includes devices such as blood pressure monitors, glucometers, thermometers, electrocardiograms, heart rate monitors, and oxygen saturators. All of these can be connected online and used digitally.
All equipment included in the kit is digitally interoperable, delivered in a durable, safe and ultra-portable case, and remains safe and operational even when transported over difficult terrain.
“Telehealth is not new, but the Covid-19 pandemic has encouraged us to explore new possibilities in terms of leveraging the power of telehealth to provide primary healthcare services in previously underserved communities in our area.”
“The kits are designed to be operational by anyone on-site, from local doctors to community health workers, and to encourage real-time interpretation of results by experts thousands of miles away,” he added.
When acquired through PAHO's Rotation Fund, Telehealth Kits reduce the cost of purchasing equipment separately by approximately 80%. Add-ons for more specialized care are also available, such as ultrasound and fetal monitors for prenatal health care, and portable x-ray devices that are key to increasing early diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis in some countries in the region.
PAHO works with the US countries in developing TeleHealth Services, from policy development to planning, training and implementation. To facilitate this, Paho's All in One Telehealth package includes open source software that can be integrated into existing health information systems. The software includes an electronic health record system for the management of non-communicable diseases and a video conferencing module for communication.
