Afghan Connect innovative offering of 2^nd opinion by overseas medical specialists for Afghan patients in Afghanistan through EDUCAST – ISDB project, with funding support from the Afghanistan Humanitarian Trust Fund (AHTF) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), aims to significantly improve healthcare service delivery in Afghanistan by providing Afghan doctors with access to second opinions from overseas specialists. This is facilitated through the eCAST platform, where live video consultations enable direct collaboration between local Afghan doctors and international medical experts.

How the Second Opinion Facility Works:

1. Access to Overseas Specialists:
   • The eCAST platform enables Afghan doctors to consult with international specialists in real-time through live video conferencing. This facility provides Afghan doctors with expert insights on complex medical cases, which are often beyond their capacity due to a lack of local specialists.
2. Live Video Consultation:
   • Afghan doctors can present difficult or unclear cases to overseas specialists for a second opinion. These specialists, connected via the eCAST platform, analyze the medical data and discuss potential diagnoses, treatment plans, and options for the patient. This is done through:
     • Virtual Case Presentations: Afghan doctors can share patient information, medical history, and test results.
     • Live Consultations: International specialists review the cases live and provide real-time feedback, offering second opinions that would otherwise be unavailable.
     • Collaborative Decision-Making: Local Afghan doctors are directly involved in the consultation process, which improves their knowledge while providing the patient with access to a global network of expertise.
3. Training and Knowledge Transfer:
   • In addition to second opinions, these consultations serve as training opportunities for Afghan doctors. With each session, local doctors gain valuable insights from international medical experts, filling the Continuing Medical Education (CME) gap, which has been hindered by sanctions and non-recognition of the country by the global community.
   • The lack of CME opportunities due to Afghanistan’s isolation has meant that many Afghan doctors are working with outdated knowledge. This facility will help bridge that gap by providing regular exposure to updated medical practices, protocols, and technologies.

Impact on the Afghan Healthcare System:

1. Addressing the Shortage of Specialists:
   • Afghanistan is currently experiencing a severe shortage of qualified specialists due to decades of conflict, brain drain, and economic challenges. The second opinion service offered through the eCAST platform will help mitigate this shortage by providing remote access to specialist knowledge that can guide local doctors in treating complex cases.
   • The facility will allow Afghan doctors to consult specialists in fields like cardiology, neurology, oncology, and surgery, which are often unavailable within the country.
2. Improvement in Healthcare Service Delivery:
   • By offering access to second opinions, the project will elevate the standard of care provided to patients across Afghanistan. Doctors will be able to make more informed decisions, leading to better diagnoses and treatment outcomes.
   • The availability of expert consultations will improve the confidence and capability of local doctors, reducing their reliance on trial-and-error approaches that are common in resource-limited settings.
3. Reduction in Outbound Medical Tourism:
   • Each year, thousands of Afghan patients travel to neighboring countries like Pakistan, India, and Iran in search of specialist care, spending huge sums of money in the process. This is because Afghanistan lacks specialists in many fields.
   • The introduction of a second opinion facility through the eCAST platform will reduce the need for Afghan patients to travel abroad for medical consultations. Patients will be able to access specialist advice within their home country, saving them both time and money.
   • This will have a positive economic impact, as Afghan families will no longer need to incur the high costs of travel, accommodation, and foreign medical fees, which currently drain a significant portion of household incomes.
4. Overcoming Barriers to Technology and Knowledge Transfer:
   • Due to international sanctions and the non-recognition of Afghanistan by the global community, the country faces significant challenges in upgrading its healthcare technology and accessing medical knowledge.
   • The eCAST platform, supported by AHTF and IsDB, circumvents these barriers by providing a virtual solution for technology and knowledge transfer. Afghan doctors, who are unable to travel or attend international conferences due to restrictions, can now receive direct access to world-class medical knowledge without leaving the country.
   • The project’s digital approach ensures that cutting-edge medical advancements can be shared with Afghan doctors, allowing them to stay updated on global best practices, despite the country’s isolation.
5. Enhanced Trust and Confidence in Local Healthcare:
   • The availability of second opinions from overseas specialists will improve the overall trust in local healthcare services. Afghan patients, who often seek medical help abroad due to the lack of confidence in domestic healthcare, will now have greater assurance that their local doctors have access to world-class expertise.
   • This will also help retain talent within the country. Afghan doctors, who may have otherwise left the country in search of better opportunities and training, will now have access to international specialists and knowledge without needing to emigrate.

Long-Term Impact on Afghan Healthcare:

• Strengthening the Healthcare Ecosystem: Over time, the second opinion service will strengthen Afghanistan’s healthcare system by enhancing the skills and knowledge of local doctors. This will help build a self-reliant healthcare infrastructure, reducing dependency on foreign care.
• Sustainability of Specialist Care: As Afghan doctors gain more knowledge and experience from repeated second opinion consultations, they will become increasingly adept at handling complex cases independently. This ensures that specialist care can be sustained locally, even if access to international experts becomes limited in the future.
• Rebuilding Healthcare Credibility: The eCAST platform, backed by international partners, will help rebuild the credibility of Afghanistan’s healthcare system. This could attract further international support and collaboration, helping to revitalize the country’s medical education and healthcare infrastructure.

Conclusion:

Afghan Connect offering of the second opinion facility facilitated by the AHTF-IsDB funded eCAST platform is a game-changing initiative for Afghanistan’s healthcare system. By providing access to overseas specialists through live video consultations, Afghan doctors will gain critical insights into complex medical cases, improving patient outcomes and enhancing the overall quality of healthcare delivery. This initiative will reduce the reliance on outbound medical tourism, improve local healthcare standards, and address the significant gaps in CME training caused by Afghanistan’s isolation from the global community. Ultimately, it offers a sustainable, technology-driven solution to strengthen the country’s fragile healthcare system.