Dear Neil, dear HIFA colleagues,
Thank you for launching this important initiative together with the WHO Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative and the WHO Global Coordination Mechanism on Noncommunicable Diseases.
I would like to share some practical experience from a cervical cancer screening project in Mongolia, in which our German company, Klughammer GmbH, was involved in cooperation with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), known to us at the time as the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA).
FROM RESEARCH FINDINGS TO TELEMEDICINE IMPLEMENTATION
In 2010, a study entitled “Report on Health Seeking Behavior with regard to Cervical Cancer Screening in Ulaanbaatar”, funded by the Millennium Challenge Account-Mongolia Health Project, identified several important barriers to cervical cancer screening.
These included:
Limited knowledge among women about cervical cancer, screening procedures and the benefits of early detection.
Difficult access to specialised diagnostic services, particularly for women in rural areas.
Insufficient diagnostic capacity and qualified personnel at local healthcare facilities.
Delays in diagnosis and referral to specialised centres.
Inadequate communication and coordination between different levels of healthcare.
The study also highlighted that many women sought medical attention only after developing symptoms, rather than participating in preventive screening.
OUR PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE IN MONGOLIA
In 2015, we participated in a cervical cancer screening project in Mongolia in cooperation with MCC/MCA.
Our contribution was the provision of CampusMedicus, a telemedicine collaboration platform developed by Klughammer GmbH and the predecessor of our current Case.io platform.
Microscopic and macroscopic images from cervical cancer screening examinations across Mongolia were uploaded to CampusMedicus, where they could be reviewed and assessed by medical specialists.
The platform supported structured medical case documentation, image sharing, specialist consultation and the recording of diagnostic assessments.
This enabled geographically separated healthcare professionals to collaborate asynchronously, without requiring every medical case to be discussed through a live video consultation.
We still have screenshots documenting actual screening cases, including uploaded microscopy images and completed diagnostic reviews.
WHY THIS EXPERIENCE MAY BE RELEVANT TO THE CURRENT HIFA DISCUSSION
One important lesson from our experience is that providing reliable information to women is essential, but information alone is not sufficient.
Women also need access to functioning screening services, appropriate diagnostic expertise, clear referral pathways and reliable follow-up.
Digital health platforms can help connect these elements, particularly in countries where specialists are concentrated in major cities and patients live far from specialised healthcare facilities.
In this context, telemedicine should not be understood solely as video consultations. Asynchronous medical collaboration, including the exchange of diagnostic images, medical records and specialist opinions, can be equally important.
We believe that the combination of patient education, accessible screening services and coordinated telemedical support deserves greater attention in strategies to improve cervical cancer screening and treatment.
POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE HIFA PROJECT
As President of One World Medical Network e.V. (OWMN), a member of HIFA I would be pleased to contribute our experience to the ongoing discussion.
We would also be happy to share examples from the original CampusMedicus implementation and discuss how similar approaches could support cervical cancer screening programmes today.
I would be particularly interested to learn whether experiences from earlier telemedicine implementations could contribute to the planned HIFA/WHO report or subsequent activities.
Thank you again for bringing together this important international discussion.
Kind regards,
Anna Schmaus-Klughammer
Anna E. Schmaus-Klughammer (LLB hons)
Vorstand / President
Former Member of the Scientific Staff - Hochschule Deggendorf
One World Medical Network e.V.
Ulrichsbergerstrasse 17
94469 Deggendorf
Germany
E-Mail schmaus@owmn.org
Phone 0171 4329606
Web www.owmn.org
One World Medical Network e.V.
Bank: Sparkasse Deggendorf, Germany
IBAN: DE43 7415 0000 0420 2385 52
BIC: BYLADEM1DEG4
HIFA profile: Anna E Schmaus-Klughammer is president of the association "One World Medical Network". The goal of the association is to improve medical care in LMICs (Low and Middle Income Countries).Our activities start from building primary and specialized health care facilities and continue to organize national cancer screening with connections to national and international expert doctors using telemedicine networks. Training of medical personnel is also an important part of the work of the association.
One World Medical Network e.V., Ulrichsbergerstrasse 17, Deggendorf in Germany.
info@owmn.org www.owmn.org