Telehealth for Cervical Cancer Screening and Care in Rwanda

The project would be implemented in one remote site within the area of Bushenge Hospital in the Nyamasheke district. With the use of a colposcopy called the gynocular, the health care providers at the project site will use simple mobile technology and this will help in increasing access to cervical cancer screening and care services.

Training of health care providers at the intervention site will use e-learning platforms where e-learning materials on cervical cancer screening and care would be uploaded on the platform. The selected health care providers who will follow the training will have an initial orientation on how to access and use the e-learning materials. The technical team to ensure that health care providers gain hands-on experience in using ICT and telehealth applications will also carry on-site mentorship. Through video conferencing sessions, health care providers will learn from the best practices in cervical cancer screening and care services.

Mass media mainly through radio would be used to raise awareness on cervical cancer focusing on the importance of early screening and care services. Social Behavior Change Communication experts from Urunana DC will use edutainment communication approaches to creatively disseminate the key messages to the target population. The project will develop a short video documentary with education content to raise.

Key groups: Women aged between 15years – 49years, Ministry of Health, Mobile network supporting services, University of Rwanda

Challenges to address

• The mobile network failure leading to delay in service delivery
• Patient resistance to the use of the gynocular.
• Delays in diagnostic due to unstable internet connection.
• Health care workers providers do not want to use the new technologie.
• Behaviour change proves more difficult than expected and the uptake of digital health moves much slower than planned

Activities

• Workshop to develop a blended e-learning continuing professional development course on cervical cancer.
• Develop a short documentary on cervical cancer targeting women in reproductive age (15-45 yrs).
• Training and mentorship of frontline health care providers on cervical cancer screening using videoconferencing and learning management information system (LMIS).
• Conduct supervision, mentorship and interpretation of images using videoconferencing systems from expert consulting site to rural site by multi-disciplinary health care experts – senior clinical experts.
• Develop a short documentary on cervical cancer targeting women in reproductive age (15-45 years).
• Radio talk show at the community radio station to obtain feedback from the target audience.