HYDERABAD, May 17: Around 30 candidates who applied for the telemedicine and e-health course offered by the Sindh University’s Information Technology department have been waiting for the commencement of the course for a long time. The students who submitted applications for the course before or after the date have not been able to convince the IT department or the university administration to begin the course which had been advertised in November last year.

Telemedicine is a form of health care delivery to be ensured through telecommunication technology to provide specialised and emergency medical and health care to poor patients in rural areas.

“It has also been negation of the Sindh government’s directive that full access should be provided through every possible means,” said one of the candidates.

Around 18 applications were submitted before the due date for the session 2005 under the self-financing scheme as the course was supposed to begin on Jan 1, 2005.

Another group of 13 students submitted the forms after expiry of last date.

The candidates claimed that except for qualification there was no other prerequisite set for course’s commencement which now continued to be delayed for one or the other reason.

The director of admissions of the Sindh University told the candidates that at least 30 students was the minimum requirement for beginning the course on the basis of a syndicate decision.

The director also said 14 students were insufficient for classes as 30 candidates were needed and he was informed that no such condition was mentioned in the advertisement.

The director was assured that if the university was ready to start the course even 30 students would be arranged.

Since then candidates, who had worked on telemedicine projects, had been approaching one or the other quarter in university but without any result.

The candidates also came to know through officials of the finance department that a course was always announced after complete resource allocation.

The candidates appealed to President Gen Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister, Federal Ombudsman, Sindh Governor and chairman of the High Education Commission to ensure that course is begun as soon as possible because after completion of the course there would be hope for provision of health care facilities through e-health and telemedicine in rural areas.