Telemedicine Pilot Programme between Simão Mendes Hospital and Bubaque Health Center – Guinea-Bissau
Origin language: English
Our project provides remote populations in the Bijagós Islands with access to specialist medical expertise from Simão Mendes National Hospital in Bissau through telemedicine. By combining real-time teleconsultation with the secure transmission of clinical data and examinations from connected medical devices, it helps overcome geographical barriers to care. The project supports local healthcare professionals in diagnosis and clinical decision-making, strengthens access to specialist care, and helps reduce avoidable patient transfers to the capital. It also includes the deployment of an operational telemedicine link between Bubaque and Simão Mendes Hospital and the training of healthcare professionals. The primary target population is rural communities living in the Bijagós Islands.
Key challenges included the remote island setting of Bubaque, limited access to specialist care, connectivity and equipment maintenance requirements, and the need to train local healthcare professionals in telemedicine workflows and connected medical devices. Sustaining regular specialist availability and integrating teleconsultation into existing referral pathways also required coordination between local teams, Simão Mendes National Hospital and national health authorities. Changes in Ministry of Health leadership also contributed to delays in some activities.
Key success factors included strong coordination between WHO, national health authorities, local healthcare teams and technology partners; deployment of connected diagnostic tools alongside teleconsultation; and comprehensive training of local professionals. Integrating telemedicine into existing referral pathways helped strengthen clinical decision-making and specialist access. For scalability and sustainability, future deployments should prioritize local ownership, continuous training, reliable connectivity and maintenance, specialist availability, and alignment with national digital health governance.
