Introduction
The United Nations signed in September 2000 the Millennium Declaration, to fight poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation, and discrimination against women .
The Millennium Development Goals (MDG) has derived from the Millennium declaration and it has 8 goals. MDG 6 focuses on HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis.
On the other hand, there is 1 billion (1,000 million) people living with tropical infectious diseases that could represent the “other diseases” part of the MDG 6. This group is named Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). These are diseases of the poorest, that makes them socially excluded and stigmatized.
GNU Solidario believes that Free Software is a key factor to accomplish these goals. GNU Health, the Free Health and Hospital Information System will help the health centers, researches, NGOs and professionals and volunteers to eradicate these devastating diseases.
What are GNU Health MDG 6 and GNU Health NTDs ?
health_mdg6 is a GNU Health module that incorporates the Millennium Development Goal # 6, to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
GNU Health will incorporate the specific functionality to help
prevent, diagnose, treat and control each of these devastating diseases.
The health_mdg6 module will maintain the multi-disciplinary approach, providing tools to the social worker, nurse, biochemist, laboratory , pharmacist, epidemiologist and physician, integrating the health professional into the community.
So, for example, upon a new possible case of active Tuberculosis (TB), GNU Health will execute the following actions : Detect and notify the contacts of the patient; Start profilaxis treatment on contacts ; Create a new laboratory order for culture and antibiogram and check for the strain resistance ; verify the DOTS (Direct Observed Treatment Short) on the patient ; Check the stock for the PPD test-kits and do a forecast for the existing anti-tuberculosis medicaments; Check for availability of special rooms if there is need for hospitalization; inform the health authorities of a new case; start a new prevention campaign.
The health_ntd will cover the Neglected Tropical Diseases.
What diseases will cover GNU Health MDG 6 and NTD?
health_mdg6. The diseases stated in first part the WHO MDG 6:
- HIV/AIDS
- Malaria
- Tuberculosis
health_ntds. Neglected Tropical diseases that affect 1 billion (1000 million) people. Diseases are dynamic by nature, so the list can include emerging diseases at any time, but the initial list will contain :
- Guinea Worm
- Lymphatic Filariasis
- Blinding Trachoma
- Sleeping Sickness
- Leprosy
- Soil Transmitted-Helminths
- Schistosomiasis
- River Blindness
- Chagas
- Visceral Leishmaniasis
- Dengue
About GNU Health
GNU Health is a free Health and Hospital Information System that provides the following functionality :
- Electronic Medical Record (EMR)
- Hospital Information System (HIS)
- Health Information System
GNU Health is an official GNU Package , chosen by Richard Stallman, and is part of GNU Solidario. GNU Solidario is a NGO that delivers education and health to emerging economies with free software.
GNU Health is the Hospital Information System chosen by the United Nations International Institute of Global Health.
Main site : health.gnu.org
Governments hosting GNU Health through their portals :
European Commission (EU) , JoinUp
Brazil: Portal do Software Público Brasileiro (SPB)
