We are happy to announce two important medical projects that will contribute to the better health of children and newborns in Cluj. We are speaking about Peditel, the first telephonic service for emergency pediatric advice, and Otoscreen, a project through which four maternities will be endowed with high-end equipment to be used for hearing tests for newborns.
Both projects were implemented at the initiative of two doctors in Cluj, and the total value of the investment made by the Vodafone Romania Foundation reached 72,000 Euros.
Peditel
Peditel is a service useful in low-risk medical situations, thatwill function 24/7 at the Emergency Children Hospital in Cluj-Napoca. By calling the short number 1791, the parent is referred to a specialist that will advise him on how to intervene in, monitor and relievehis child’s symptoms in low risk medical situations. There are about 30 specialists – pediatricians and doctors from the hospital’s emergency room – who will work in shifts in order to ensure a functional service.
„In recent years, the doctors from the Emergency Department (ED) have noticed an increasing number ofparents showing up for minor issues their children had, issues which could very easily be addressed by a telephone consultation with a pediatrician. With Peditel it’s very simple: the parent calls 1791, doctors evaluate the case and recommend either home treatment, or a specialized medical examination. In the 12 weeks during which the system was in place, we’ve discussed with over 1,000 parents, the most frequent cases being high fever, coughing, rhinovirus infections, misguided medication or skin rash”said Dr. CălinLazăr, medical director at the Emergency Children Hospital in Cluj and initiator of the program.
Peditel 1791 is a normal rate short number different from the National Emergency Service, 112. Peditel can only be used by parents in Cluj area, and it’s authorized by the Health Ministry. The service was set-up at the initiative of the “Parents from Cluj” branch of the “Parents from Romania” Foundation, and fully financed by The Vodafone Romania Foundation, with a total investment of 42,000 Euros.
From left to right: Călin Lazăr, medical director at the Emergency Children Hospital in Cluj, and initiator of the Peditel program, Angela Galeţa, Director of Vodafone Romania Foundation, Cristina Grigore, Director of the “Parents from Romania” Foundation, Irina Margareta Nistor,President of Vodafone Romania Foundation, Lidia Solomon,Head of Corporate Communications Vodafone Romania, Dr. Cornel Aldea, managing director of the Emergency Children Hospital in Cluj.
Otoscreen
Otoscreen, the second project fully financed by The Vodafone Romania Foundation, with a 30,000 Euros investment, involves the equipping of four maternities from cities around Cluj with otoacoustic emission devices that are used for auditory screening in newborns and can find early signs of deep hypoacusis. More so, the project ensures the modernization and improvement of the testing conditions in the ENT Clinic of the Cluj County Emergency Clinical Hospital, by equipping the department with a wide range audiometer. The Otoscreen project was initiated by Dr. Violeta Necula and implemented with the help of the Romanian Rhinology and Endoscopic Sinus Surgery Society.
Dr. Violeta Necula explains the importance of this project:”Statistics show that 1 to 3 out of 1,000 children are born with forms of deep hypoacusis, which is also the main sensory affliction in newborns. With the help of such modern equipment we estimate over 8,000 children to be tested every year, and approximately 5-8 babies to be promptly diagnosed with hypoacusis”.
The four maternities involved in the program fall under the administration of county hospitals from Zalău, Alba Iulia, Bistriţa and Sighetul Marmaţiei. Besides getting the aforementioned equipment, they will also enter in collaboration with the ENT Clinic of the Cluj County Emergency Clinical Hospital and will make periodic reports on the number of children being tested. Children who are under suspicion of suffering from hypoacusis will be redirected here as well, to receive accurate clinical diagnosis.
From left to right: Angela Galeţa, , Lidia Solomon, Irina Margareta Nistor, doctor Violeta Necula,Otoscreen Project Coordinator, Georgiana Iliescu, Project Manager Vodafone Romania Foundation, professor doctor Marcel Cosgarea, president of theRomanian Rhinology and Endoscopic Sinus Surgery Society
