LifePaths Global Alliance Opens Innovative Telemedicine Clinic in Haiti

Feb. 7, 2011 - PRLog -- Please direct inquiries to:
Fatima Haleem
Executive Director
Tel: (519) 851 4696
Email: lifepathsglobal@gmail.com


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 7, 2011
LifePaths Global Alliance Opens Innovative Telemedicine Clinic in Haiti
LONDON, Ont. – LifePaths Global Alliance (LGA) has announced the successful launch of its state-of-the-art telemedicine clinic and business center in L'estere, Haiti, four hours north of Port au Prince.

The medical clinic, which provides free consultations and prescriptions for patients in the rural area, is equipped to serve 150 people per week. It is the first clinic of its kind in the region, and has been set up to continue to help the people who have been affected by the earthquake that devastated the country on January 12, 2010.

"For many poor people, the local hospital is not a viable option, as it is rarely staffed and is too expensive," said Fatima Haleem, Executive Director. "We are thrilled to be able to provide accessible health care that would otherwise not be available for the people of the L'estere area."

Dr. Paul Gahlinger, a pioneer in telemedicine from Utah, introduced the system to LGA. It is an innovative form of clinical medicine that uses interactive audiovisual media to communicate medical information, and is used for everything from routine check-ups to medical procedures and exams.

Haitian Doctor Joseph Prosper, who travels many hours providing mobile clinic services to the rural area, serves as the medical director of the clinic. "Utilizing telemedicine in remote areas of Haiti has changed many lives, especially mine," Prosper said. "This is my dream come true. I can maximize my expertise and reach out to many more people without leaving my hospital in Port au Prince, making it a better use of my time.”

In addition, LGA has also set up the area's first business center, which will be used as a computer training facility and a place for community members to access the Internet. Patrick Blanshard from Sensory Technologies accompanied LGA in January and installed the telemedicine system, the Internet cafe and the back-up electrical unit for the center.

"It has been amazing to see young people using the business center and surfing the Internet for the first time," Blanshard said. "To our surprise, the most popular activity on the computers has been searching for family and friends over Facebook."

Now, LGA is turning to its future plans for the region, which include education and community development programming; connecting the community of London, Ontario, with the communities in Haiti; and replicating its telemedicine and programming in other rural communities of the country.

“The sky is the limit," said Elaine Knight, Founder of LGA. "We have made so much progress since our fact-finding mission in May 2010, and we were able to conduct a full roll-out in eight short months. I feel like we can move mountains.”

The telemedicine clinic was officially opened with a candlelight vigil to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the earthquake. LGA's efforts would not have been possible without the work of Jean-Eddy Diejuste, a local community leader and the organization's general manager in Haiti.

“Our small community of 38,000 will be a model example of what is possible if you pull together," Dieujuste said. "The money we make from the business center will help fund the clinic. We want to stand on our own feet, we just needed a little help.”

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About LifePaths Global Alliance:
LifePaths Global Alliance is focused on helping disadvantaged communities in the
Caribbean, Central America and its home community of London, Ontario, Canada. It
promotes community development through local programming in the areas of health,
education and economic growth. The organization was founded by Elaine Knight. To
learn more, visit http://www.lifepathsglobal.org.