Improving Primary Health Care Delivery for Underserved Patients Worldwide

Nearly 4 billion people throughout the developing world have little or no access to basic diagnostic medical imaging. These procedures, which include chest and extremity x-rays, are a key component of primary health care delivery.  Without them, doctors are unable to accurately diagnose many conditions such as respiratory ailments, cancer and traumas. 
The severe shortage of digital X-ray equipment in developing nations is the result of multiple factors including a lack of funding and a lack of coordination of the efforts of key stakeholders.  However, even when equipment is made available, there are few radiologists to interpret the images and few staff trained to operate the X-Ray equipment. But for patients, the ability to have an X-ray examination can mean the difference between having the right or wrong treatment, rapid recovery or prolonged disability leading to a loss of precious earnings, and even life or death.

The World Health Imaging, Telemedicine & Informatics Alliance (WHITIA) provides reliable, sustainable digital X-ray and telemedicine systems to support the delivery of primary health care in developing nations around the world.  According to the World Health Organization, all local hospitals—also known as first-referral hospitals— should have X-ray units and technicians who are trained to use them. WHITIA works with these primary health care providers, helping them to source, fund, install and sustain these medical imaging systems.  WHITIA does this by partnering with imaging industry vendors, non-governmental and philanthropic organizations and local universities.  WHITIA’s collaborative model ensures that these first referral hospitals get the training and support they need to ensure that the imaging systems remain operational. 

Delivering Appropriate X-Ray Technology to First-Referral Hospitals
Diagnostic imaging technology that is designed for developed countries may not be appropriate for use in the developing world.  Because of this, WHITIA’s digital X-ray and telemedicine solution is based upon the imaging standards created by the World Health Organization specifically for developing nations.

In the mid-1970s, researchers at the WHO found that sophisticated technologies were not providing adequate imaging services in first-referral hospitals in developing countries. The technology was often too complex and expensive to operate, it was prone to breakdown or malfunction in resource-poor settings, and there were never enough trained personnel to operate or maintain them. Researchers concluded that a simple X-ray device could more efficiently diagnose the most common causes of illness in developing countries – infectious disease and trauma.

Based on this research, the WHO created specifications for X-ray systems to be used in these environments.  Among other things, the specifications state that X-ray equipment designed for resource-limited settings should be able to:  produce high quality images, be operated by staff with minimal training, be designed such that there is minimal scattering of radiation, be operated by generators in areas where power is unreliable, and should be simple to maintain.  These specifications are known as the World Health Imaging System for Radiography (WHIS-RAD).

WHITIA’s solution includes  X-ray equipment that meets the WHIS-RAD standards, ensuring that first-referral hospitals in the developing world receive equipment that is designed for their technical capacity and that produces images of quality comparable to more sophisticated X-ray modalities.  WHITIA outfits this equipment with digital capabilities eliminating the need for film and chemical—an expensive upkeep requirement for analog X-ray—and enabling capabilities such as medical consultation through teleradiology and image and data storage for enhanced patient record keeping.   

WHITIA continues to innovate new capabilities for our imaging solution.  With the help of our partners around the world, WHITIA is working to make the latest advances in digital X-ray and telemedicine services available for everyone.