It is estimated that two-thirds of the worlds population is currently without access to x-ray. X-ray is an essential aspect to primary care and is used in the critical diagnosis and management of trauma, Tuberculosis, Pneumonia, HIV, cancer and other respiratory and abdominal ailments. In the past, there have been attempts made to bring diagnostic imaging to the developing world but most have been unsuccessful in meeting these areas unique needs. More than two decades ago, the World Health Organization sought to address the issue of high X-ray equipment costs by developing specifications for an inexpensive X-ray system. This approach resulted in the World Health Imaging System for Radiography (WHIS-RAD). The system is now manufactured by a number of medical imaging companies. WHIS-RAD lowered equipment costs and provides a safe, reliable, simple X-ray system that enables high quality images to be produced by health care professionals with limited imaging experience. The current system relies on film / screen imaging and therefore there are costs and maintenance associated with film, chemicals and film processing operations.

WHIS-RAD has not achieved its potential for a number of reasons: lack of advocacy, no central funding, no sustainable support for training, lack of maintenance and service, difficulties of film-based clinical consultation, and a misperception of the costs of the system. This is further complicated by differing priorities among ministries of health and large funding organizations. It became clear that there was a need for an organization to not only facilitate the deployment of systems but address issues of sustainability. That organization is the World Health Imaging, Telemedicine & Informatics Alliance (WHITIA).

WHITIA is working to improve the health status and quality of health care received by people in limited resource areas worldwide by providing communities with access to:

- low-cost, digital imaging solutions, - medical professionals who can remotely assist with diagnosis and - information that can be used to track public health trends, resource utilization and improve health care delivery

We do this by leveraging relationships with key stakeholders such as local health authorities, global Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and philanthropic organizations, academic institutions and the imaging industry in order to collaborate on the development and sustaining of affordable imaging and telemedicine solutions.

The World Health Imaging, Telemedicine & Informatics Alliance (WHITIA) is a non-profit, diagnostic medical imaging solutions provider that provides reliable and sustainable solutions, giving communities access to the latest technology for better patient care. WHITIA's vision is to facilitate the deployment of thousands of digital medical imaging systems worldwide, providing one billion people with access to diagnostic imaging.

In 2005, representatives of WHO and Rotary met to explore the possibility of retrofitting existing WHIS-RAD installations made by Rotary with digital capability. In 2006, Rotary initiated a student project that charged a team of Northwestern University biomedical engineering students to evaluate the benefits and methods of digitizing the current WHIS-RAD system. This study concluded that a digital radiography solution would improve primary care if supported by a sustainable business model. This model would re-engineer commercial technology to meet the needs of the developing world as well as incorporate a more modern and advanced imaging solution. Through this initiative, the World Health Imaging, Telemedicine & Informatics Alliance (WHITIA) emerged. WHITIA has adopted the challenge of integrating the necessary technologies so that imaging solutions can be provided and supported as a system. Our organization embraces the challenge of incorporating the many aspects that make a sustainable solution. WHITIA's priority is to ensure we are delivering a system that provides digital imaging in a sustainable manner as well as integrating next generation functionality to our sites.

Africa • Kenya

Africa • Angola