It is really sad that I have to use Twitter to teach common sense to us Kenyans. But our clear intellectual handicap in understanding why technology cannot replace human professionals means I have to to try anyway.
Let me explain why this promise from MoH is ridiculous.
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Let me explain why this promise from MoH is ridiculous.
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Kagwe is saying that with internet, we don't need more than 2 radiologists in Nairobi, thanks to the internet.
First, let me remind us that the scans will only be transmitted by computers. They still need to be read by PEOPLE behind the computers.
First, let me remind us that the scans will only be transmitted by computers. They still need to be read by PEOPLE behind the computers.
Let's just do the numbers. Let's say we have a conservative number 10 people in every county being scanned every day. That means 470 people PER DAY whose reports need to be read by two people.
Tell me how that works.
Tell me how that works.
And Kenyans need to stop being stupid. A scan is not just a picture. There are other medical records of the person that need to be read. Medical history, are they on medication already, etc. Then the radiologist has to write a report and send to the hospital of origin.
Even with 50 people attending a radiology department, it takes us 2-3 days to get a report. But you want a single radiologist at KNH to read 235 files and send reports PER DAY.
And the next day do another 235 files.
Tell me how that works.
And the next day do another 235 files.
Tell me how that works.
Then, MoH is saying that we can send them "all round the world." To where? Italy, maybe? France or the US? You think they are doing nothing right now, waiting for Mutahi Kagwe to send them your scan for interpretation?
Tell me how that works.
Tell me how that works.
And who pays for reading Kenyan scans sent to radiologists "around the world." Can Kenya afford to pay? If GoK says it has no money to pay Kenyan doctors, na American doctors je? They are so much more expensive, that even Americans themselves can't afford them.
What will happen is that many radiologist scammers, like academic paper mills, will come up. I can set a website from a cyber in my village, call myself a radiologist, and do what people do for hired papers. I copy paste and send an interpretation of your scan to KNH.
Internet is a medium of connection. Just a car or a plane. Or a TV or phone. It doesn't tell you where to go, who to talk to or what information you need. You decide where to go, what you will do there, and what info you need.
Technology for health and education work the same.
Technology for health and education work the same.
If cars don't mean you stop walking, if mobile phones don't replace phone calls to your family, neither can technology replace and doctor or a teacher.
Stop following GoK into this stupidity and use your mind.
END.
Stop following GoK into this stupidity and use your mind.
END.
