The latest data from the World Health Organization regarding the incidence of Cardiovascular disease in sub-Saharan Africa emphasizes a context in some ways unexpected: cardiovascular pathologies occur 10 years earlier than in the European and American population.

It is estimated that by treating the 20 million hypertensive patients of sub-Saharan Africa with simple prevention programs, 250.000 deaths a year could be avoided. In Tanzania the stroke mortality is 10 times higher than that observed in England.

Recent studies lead to take into consideration primarily genetic factors but it is assumed that there is also a contributing factor to look for in new lifestyles of some sections of the population.

The six centers of telecardiology, implemented in cooperation with the Hospital San Giovanni in Rome in some DREAM centers of Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique, confirm such data and encourage the choice to offer more and more a qualitative diagnostic that makes full use of modern telemedicine systems.

And it is exactly from these considerations that in Iringa, in the heart of Tanzania, the third course of cardiology and telemedicine has just finished, after having faced in particular how to deal with hypertension and the most common cardiovascular pathologies. Several doctors and nurses attended it from the hospital of Iringa and from various health districts of the rural areas of the Region.

A new software to standardize and monitor the teleconsultations has been installed at the DREAM center of Iringa and is currently being tested and improved.

The ambition is to create a virtual community, but at the same time very real, consisting of professionals who with different expertise can provide a second opinion for various specific branches such as cardiology, ophthalmology, dermatology and others. Il digital divede can be fought also this way.