A new research paper analysing the results of the Simona Project shows that the provision of information and expertise from a hospital in Italy has clearly improved the diagnoses and management of paediatric cancer at the primary childhood oncology unit in Iraq.

By the early 2000s, healthcare in Iraq had suffered after decades of war and economic sanctions. One of those to respond was paediatric haematologist Dr. Anna Maria Testi from Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, who set up the Simona Project (later renamed TOGETHER) after a visit to Baghdad in 2003. This enabled paediatric oncologists at the Sapienza University of Rome to provide up-to-date medical information and services to the Children’s Welfare Teaching Hospital (CWTH) in Baghdad via satellite. 

Over 12 years of collaboration between the two hospitals took place, 1182 patients aged up to 16 years old at CWTH received care through the project, including 500 whose cases were discussed during teleconsultation sessions. 

It took place Under the coordination of the Telemedicine service provider Telbios, with the involvement of the Italian humanitarian aid organisation INTERSOS, the Policlinico Umberto I Haematology Department at Sapienza University of Rome and the Children Paediatric Hospital. In Iraq Mazin Al-Jadiry and Salma Hadad worked on the project. 

The benefits of twinning and telemedicine

The research paper "'Comprehensive global collaboration in the care of 1182 pediatric oncology patients over 12 years: The Iraqi-Italian experience'", which was recently published in the journal Cancer Medicine, notes that “Twinning and telemedicine are proven strategies to improve care, speed the process of change and introduce new medical concepts in developing countries”. The positive results from the Simona project clearly align with this observation. 

The teleconsultations enabled by ESA’s project, along with tele-education, exchange visits and the provision of second opinions on pathological findings, had a measurable effect on patient care. In some cases diagnoses were changed, as were treatment regimens and supportive care measures. The overall outcome included decreases in mortality, toxicities, infections and relapse rates. There was also a reduction in the rates of patients abandoning treatment, which was attributed to improved parental trust based on their awareness of the alliance with the Italian team.

“Long-term initiatives such as this collaboration between two medical facilities in different countries can make a difference to so many lives,” said Francesco Feliciani, Head of Companies-Led Projects Section at the Downstream Business Applications Department at ESA. 

“Satellites can bring together experts across continents to enable them to support each other and thereby support their patients – on a practical level this simply can’t happen in any other way with such frequency and for so many years. ESA is proud to have supported the Simona Project and to know we’ve made a difference to the lives of so many children in Iraq.”

Meanwhile Mazin Faisal Al-Jadiry, assistant professor of paediatrics at the University of Baghdad said that the project has “helped to improve the diagnostic skills of our pathologists and as we are a tertiary and teaching centre the upgrading of the diagnostic skills will help to disseminate this experience to other parts of Iraq and to the new generations of pathologists and oncologists.”

The Simona Project is believed to have facilitated the most comprehensive telemedicine collaboration in paediatric oncology. Although the project has been finished for some time now, the positive outcomes are being maintained due to the improvements in knowledge and skills among the staff at CWTH. 

 

The European Space Agency (ESA) this week announced a partnership with the UK Centre for Greening Finance and Investment (CGFI). The partnership, created under ESA’s Space Solutions programme, is part of ESA’s 'Finance for a green transition' initiative and will accelerate the uptake of green space-based solutions to support the financial sector with the green transition.

ESA has established this long-term collaboration with CGFI to promote the development of new space-enabled commercial services for the financial services sector, providing support to financial, climate and environmental analytics providers across Europe. Ultimately these solutions will help financial institutions understand and mitigate the financial implications posed by the transition to a net-zero, nature positive economy and help companies and projects attract investment as part of green transition initiatives. 

Speaking at a networking event organised by CGFI, ESA’s Head of Space Solutions Nick Appleyard said ‘Green finance applications are of interest not only to financial institutions but also to organisations across many other sectors including energy and utilities, agriculture, transportation and manufacturing. This new partnership will support financial, climate and environmental analytics providers across Europe and help companies attract capital and investment for space-based solutions.’

Christophe Christiaen, Innovation and Impact lead at CGFI, said “Space-based datasets can provide financial institutions with asset-level insights across a wide range of climate and environmental issues, complementing corporate disclosures and bringing transparency where previously there was none. We have been promoting and developing the concept of ‘Spatial Finance’ for a couple of years now and are excited to partner with ESA and its ecosystem to further accelerate the adoption of these technologies for green finance.”

Earth observation, satellite communications and satellite navigation play a key role in analysing climate and environmental risks, impacts and opportunities. By using satellite-based data, financial institutions have an independent and transparent set of data to help companies move towards a net-zero economy. These data sets can also help attract the necessary capital and investment for organisations’ transition plans and investment needs, informing and influencing their investors and stakeholders.

This new partnership will combine ESA’s technical, commercial and financial support around space solutions with CGFI’s expertise in green finance and climate science, helping organisations manage climate risks and improve their environmental impact to facilitate growth in the sector. Incorporating expert advice resulting from this new partnership, ESA is preparing a new dedicated funding opportunity aimed at companies with promising business ideas for products and services tailored to green finance. Further details can be found on the ESA Space Solutions webpage 'Finance for a Green Transition'.