ISLAMABAD: A Pakistan-based global telehealth and online training technology provider announced on Monday that it has partnered with a prominent West Bank university to provide telemedicine services to Palestinian students affected by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Middle East.

Israeli forces have attacked and severely damaged health care institutions in Gaza since it began its military operations in the territory on Oct. 7, 2023. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of the Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 94 percent of Gaza’s health care facilities are fully or partially out of service.

Describing it as a landmark health initiative, Pakistan-based EduCast said it is launching a telemedicine program in partnership with Birzeit University, which it described as one of the leading and oldest universities in the West Bank.

It said the initiative will connect Pakistani specialist doctors with patients and community health care facilities across Nablus, Gaza, the West Bank and refugee camps through EduCast’s eCast digital health platform.

“With the kind support and cooperation of Birzeit University, the initiative will establish a digital connection between Pakistani medical specialists and Palestinian patients, caregivers and participating community health care centers,” EduCast said in a press release.

EduCast said the program seeks to address critical gaps in access to specialist health care, particularly for Palestinian patients facing barriers to medical consultations, specialist referrals, continuity of care and timely second opinions.

The Pakistani telehealth service said doctors from Pakistan will provide remote consultations, clinical second opinions and follow-up support through the eCast platform under this initiative.

EduCast said its platform is designed to support consultations through smartphones, tablets and computers, allowing health care personnel and patients to connect with specialists without requiring every patient to travel long distances for an initial specialist opinion.

It said the program will focus on several priority areas, including maternal health, pediatrics, cardiology, psychology and mental health. It will also provide remote support for people experiencing psychological distress and trauma-related challenges.