Indonesia developing 'telemedicine'

Indonesia developing 'telemedicine'

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is developing a telecommunications
network to enable doctors in remote areas to conduct surgery
under the guidance of specialists in Jakarta, an official said
yesterday.

Head of the Technology and Resources Development Agency at the
Ministry of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications, Harsono
Taroepratjeka, told a seminar in Bandung, West Java, that
telesurgery could be applied if operation rooms in remote
hospitals were provided with audiovisual devices through which
experts could monitor an operation.

He predicted the telemedicine network would be realized as
soon as Indonesia completed the Nusantara 21 telecommunications
networking project in 2001.

The project will give access to national and global
information network systems to all provinces in the country.

Harsono said studies on the telemedicine project were now
underway at the Jakarta-based Harapan Kita Hospital and Surabaya-
based Dr. Soetomo Hospital along with some universities in Java.

"The ministry of telecommunications is developing the
infrastructure but the full application of telemedicine is up to
other institutions, including the ministry of health, hospitals
and universities," Harsono said.

He called on academics to develop and formulate remote
diagnosis methods and medical procedures to correct any mistake
found in surgery, Antara reported.

Also speaking at the seminar was the Minister of Tourism, Post
and Telecommunications Joop Ave and Army Chief of Staff Gen.
Wiranto. (amd)