Kapil Sibal, Bill Gates discuss role of IT in health projects

New Delhi: Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates today discussed with Telecom & IT Minister Kapil Sibal the role of information technology in the effective management of diseases like TB. “The concept of using ICT for effective management of diseases like Tuberculosis and non-communicable diseases, improving immunisation of children so as to improve upon the indicators like infant mortality rate and for mothers from maternal mortality rate (MMR) point of view was discussed,” IT Secretary J Satyanarayana told reporters about the meeting New Delhi. [caption id=“attachment_826193” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Bill Gates in New Delhi on Wednesday. PTI[/caption] The secretary said that the minister has asked Gates, who runs charity organisation Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to participate in these projects for which pilot will started soon. Sibal in early 2012 had drawn Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s attention towards the new strain of tuberculosis, which is communicable and untreatable. This Total Drug Resistant (TDR) TB is attributed to wrong medication and untimely treatment. Both IT and Health Ministries were directed to act on the issue and work out an effective solution to prevent spread of TB. Gates’ foundation, at present, is running health programme in Bihar. “Through pilots we will build standard business model for both government and private sector for providing health services using technology. There we will also call non-government organisation to participate in the programme. We have requested Gates foundation to get involved in it,” the IT Secretary said. He said that Minister and Gates discussed about National Optic Fibre Project that will connect 2,50,000 village panchayats with broadband in 2014 and the way it can be used for health projects. PTI