Abstract
The use of advanced communication technology in the low-income setting has been presented as a possible solution able to cope with the lack of medical and human resource in develo** countries. Three main aspects have to be addressed in order to create sustainable and affordable solutions: the assessment of the need in the area where the project has to be implemented, the capacity issues, and the assessment of local capacity.
Considering the main features that affect children health and care in very poor settings, the available options can be the use of telemedicine device to support rural clinics for the management of single cases (although with many restraints that have to be properly considered) and the epidemiological surveillance. Besides, urban and university hospitals also in those countries can count on a pool of professionals and resources that telemedicine devices could help to exploit, so that a level of care comparable to the one of the major health centers in higher-income countries could be achieved.
The idealistic aim would be the creation of a virtual community in which children of the poorest area could experience a level of care and consequently of well-being, comparable to the one of the children coming from more advantaged places.
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Capello, F. (2014). Telepediatrics in Develo** Countries: A Better Care for Children in Low-Income Settings. In: Capello, F., Naimoli, A., Pili, G. (eds) Telemedicine for Children's Health. TELe-Health. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-06489-5_9
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