Case Study: e-KSS achieves self-sustainable telemedicine for 40,000 Amazon indigenous peoples with VSee

Telemedicine for Self-Sustainable Healthcare in the Amazon

e-KSS, an international non-profit working with FOIRN, faced the challenge of delivering culturally appropriate, self-sustainable healthcare to remote Amazon indigenous communities that suffer high infant and maternal mortality (child mortality nearing 10%), lack control of their health data, and have limited connectivity for timely care. To address live telemedicine needs, e-KSS partnered with VSee to add VSee’s simple telemedicine platform to its existing BGAN-based data network.

VSee delivered a peer-to-peer, low-bandwidth video telemedicine solution that operates over satellite broadband and 3G and supports live streaming of medical devices (ultrasound, otoscope, EKG) during consultations. Combined with e-KSS’s Telehealth Agents and community-owned BGAN data collection, the VSee-enabled system established the first indigenous telehealth network, extended access to roughly 40,000 people, gave communities ownership of their health data, improved coordination between mothers, midwives and clinicians, and—according to FOIRN’s Women’s Department—significantly increased local motivation and ability to manage care and referrals.

e-KSS

Luiz Esteves

Executive Director