Another recent development that has helped millions of people is the
globalisation of knowledge through information technology. One example is the
use of public Internet kiosks in rural India to revolutionise medical treatment
and eye care. In the village of Padinettankudi in Tamil Nadu a webcam and online
patient questionnaire are being used to photograph and record villagers’ eye
problems. Once recorded they are then emailed to the specialist Aravind Eye
Hospital, affordably reducing to a few seconds a process that would previously
have taken days or weeks. An online doctor/patient discussion takes place
subsequently before a free appointment is arranged, saving scarce resources and
equitably improving health outcomes.