Lahore, (PR) : A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between The National Information Technology Board (NITB) and The Pakistan Society of Interventional Cardiology for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases (PSIC). NITB, an organization of the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication (MoITT), will provide digital and technical support to the PSIC for data preparation and research for the prevention of heart diseases and the treatment of heart attack diseases.
Caretaker Federal Minister for IT & Telecommunication Dr. Umar Saif witnessed the MoU.
The MoU was signed by Chief Executive Officer NITB Dr. Babar Majid Bhatti, President PSIC Prof. Dr. Zubair Akram, and Vice President Prof. Dr. Nauman Naseer. The ceremony was attended by Director General NITB Mr. Sohail Khan and other officials from both sides.
Addressing the occasion, Caretaker Minister for IT & Telecom Dr. Umar Saif said that the world has rapidly adopted technology and digitized health, and education, including minor to important sectors, although we are far behind this process, such measures are necessary to connect ourselves with the digital world. He said that timely access to all the required information for patients and prevention of heart diseases will help in saving precious human lives. In this regard, the Ministry of IT will provide all possible support and assistance.
*“The purpose of this MoU is to explore mutual areas of collaboration to discover how information technology can be leveraged to improve and support the national heart attack treatment initiative.” Dr. Umar Saif added.*
Highlighting the further details related to the MoU, Dr. Umar Saif said.
• Development of new databases or apps and/or improvement of existing databases or apps for evaluation and analysis of STEMI/ heart attack patients.
• Development of national protocols/ guidelines to standardize care for all hospitals participating in STEMI/ACS care.
• Development of a network recognizing hospitals that can provide PPCI and those that can provide lytic therapy.
• Establishing a referral system for pharmacoinvasive therapy.
• Ambulance and patient awareness programs for the patients to act in case of heart attack.
• ER versus regional control room control / STEMI alert/diversion if necessary.
• Help equip ambulances with ECG smartphone transmission to the nearest recognized capable health center so STEMI alert can be activated.
• Using modern techniques such as AI etc. to advance defibrillators, AI EKG, and traffic signal control.
Earlier, CEO NITB Dr. Babar Majid Bhatti and President PSIC Dr. Zubair Akram briefed the federal minister about the implications of the Memorandum and said that the cooperation would help in the completion of the project to develop national networks and databases to help in the timely treatment of patients suffering from heart attack. He said that this agreement would be very helpful for the prevention of primary and secondary heart attacks. Social media campaigns regarding heart attack symptoms, treatment, and preventive strategies will be launched for Public Awareness.
