What Has Technology To Do With Chikankata?

Thanks to technology, like any other place in the rest of the world Chikankata has been on the web since the popularity of the internet. Just type ‘chikankata’ and enter it into Google search engine, it will be no surprise if thousands of entries about Chikankata appear on your computer screen. It is because technology has even made its entry to area as remote as Chikankata, rural Zambia, in the heart of Africa.

Who bid the highest? Farmers here also do not want to be ‘left out’. A farmer talking through his cellular phone while riding an ox-cart is a common and interesting sight that any visitor can witness. They make use of the phone to know from their contacts in town who is the highest bidder available to whom they can sell their produce.

Cutest girl: Abuse of technology, on the other hand, can be harmful and cost dearly. The rule at Chikankata Higher Secondary School forbids students to keep mobile phone or use within the campus. When any student is found breaking this rule, which is a common happening; his or her phone will be confiscated until the end of the term. Recently my wife caught one of her class-XI students using his cell phone. When she checked who at the other end of the line is, the dialled number reads “Cutest girl”. Oh! I am sure most of you will be reminded of your high school days, except that cell phone was not as popular in those days as today.

We need your ears as well: Also the hospital has its own story to tell. A recent meeting of hospital ward in-charges come up with the decision to forbid nurses from using headphones while at work (Here's the actual circular!). They did this knowing that not doing it can cost lives.

Telemedicine: Chikankata Hospital is once again ready for another big leap ahead, to start its own real-time telemedicine service and to upgrade its existing telehealth system. The present store-and-forward (asynchronous) system of telemedicine service within the hospital has now been felt inadequate by the clinicians and the administrators alike. Partner institutions like Boston University have been showing keen interest in the project. The level of commitment from the administration department of the hospital has assured us that we are not far from having video conferences with faculties of some of the best known universities of the world. One day, we hope surgeons at Michigan State University perform a robotic brain surgery on one of our patients and us, treat their AIDS patients with cryptococcal meningitis.