SDGs

SDGs: Kagawa University s Telemedicine connects the world
Exploring the background and the outlook of Kagawa University s iCTG Project, which was awarded forFetus can be examined anywhereat any time-Please explain about the product which received
the Japan Science and Technology Agency Chairman’s award in “STI for STGs” Award.

Prof. Hara: We were awarded for the online diagnosis
system utilizing our fetal monitoring system “iCTG”,
and for our global expansion effort especially towards
developing countries. iCTG is a mobile small-sized
fetal monitor that can be carried around easily. Expecting mothers can simply measure the fetal heart rate
and uterus contraction rate by themselves at home,and measured data are immediately sent to cloudstorage. Based on that data, doctors can diagnose
remotely. Previously, it was a big challenge to obtain
fetal information and transmit the recorded data. However, after 40 years of researches, we developed our
first mobile fetal monitor in 2006. We successfully
downsized it in 2019 with a cooperating company
called Melody International Ltd., and began operating
the whole system. At that time, Professor Tokuda whois our benefactor in oversea expansion suggested ofapplying for this award.

within the prefecture, the medical personnel andequipment are not sufficient, so stabilizing and maintaining access to medical resources in those region
are important issues. When you hear the word “telemedicine” or “online diagnosis”, you might imagine ascenery of a doctor speaking to a patient through avideo call, but in the past it was mainly done throughsending patient’s vital information like electrocardiogram, images like X-ray, CT, and MRI, to specialized
hospitals to obtain consultation to help diagnose apatient. Telemedicine’s development was mainly
focused on ICT sector, like the creation of digitalpatient record, allowing doctors to accumulate medical
records electronically. Also, by centralizing suchrecords into one data center, it will be protected even

-Please explain about the evolution of telemedicine
up until now.
Prof. Hara: Kagawa prefecture has rich medicalresources, but when it comes to 24 remote islands*STI
Abbreviation for Science,
Technology and Innovation

STI for SDGs * award in 2020.

when natural disaster strikes. We implemented K-MIX(Kagawa Medical Information eXchange) Network in
2003, and it eventually evolved into K-MIX+ and thento K-MIX R. In 2018 the online diagnosis became
nationally official practice, and with the COVID-19
pandemic, it is possible to say that the necessity to put
telemedicine and online diagnosis into an action isincreasing now more than before.
-How did you start getting involved in developing
remote diagnosis system for perinatal care?
Prof. Hara: When it comes to fetal heart rate monitoring, even if the information can be transmitted electronically, it was still difficult to obtain precise data in

the first place. So I decided to work on developing
better monitoring device, and successfully came up
with “iCTG”, an instrument with high precision, and it’smuch smaller than the conventional device used in any
hospital. Japan has a lowest perinatal death rate offetus and newborns, as well as expecting mothers.
Kagawa prefecture now boasts on high standard but
50 years ago we were nationally ranked in worst 5
prefectures for already mentioned death rates. So, I
had a strong determination to change that situation.

Made in Kagawa Technology willsave expecting mothers worldwide-What made you think of applying for ”STI forSDGs” Award?
Prof. Tokuda: My specialty is in physiology, and I also
conduct a research on “rare sugar” which only exists insmall amount in nature. I am in charge of International
Institute of Rare Sugar Research and Education’s
global outreach. I’m also a head of Kagawa University’s International Office, which is our university’s gateway for international relationships. We have over 100
affiliated universities worldwide, and 3 of them arebases for education and research exchanges overseas. Utilizing such connections, we have exported
iCTG system to Chiang Mai University in Thailand, andalso to countries like Laos, Myanmar, South Africa, andIndonesia. As you know, “SDGs” comprises of 17 goals
adopted by the United Nations that are to be achieved

Tokuda Masaaki / M.D. , Ph.D.

Hara Kazuhiro / M.D. , Ph.D.

Vice President of Kagawa University.

Professor Emeritus of Kagawa University. In addition toIn addition to overseeing internationala specially appointed professor at the Kagawa

strategy and global environment

University Seto Inland Sea Regional Research Center,

development, he also serves as thehe also serves as the chairman of the NPO e-HCIK anddirector of the international office.

the honorary chairman of the Japan Telemedicine andTelecare Association.

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by 2030. Kagawa University has been implementing
programs to contribute to this effort, including iCTG
project. When it comes to “STI for SDGs” Award, it has
a strong emphasis on how science and technology
have made contribution to this cause. Professor Hara’s
iCTG can be a game changer in perinatal care that if
you have an internet connection, it can be usedanywhere in the world whether it be the remote countryside or isolated island. I thought this was a perfectmatch for this award, and decided to send in an application. Fortunately, we received a high evaluation, andthat means a lot for our university as well, so we werevery happy to hear about the result.
Prof. Hara: The predecessor of the SDGs is the MDGs

(Millennium Development Goals), and by the time
MDGs came into an effect the goal of lowering fetal
and newborn’s death rate was already one of the maingoals. I strongly feel that our technology and iCTG cancontribute to achieving such goal and provide safe andsecure delivery all over the world. I hope many more
people will come to know about our project through thisaward and they will understand the importance of
supporting developing countries. It is also meaningfulthat we won a government-funded award that Japan asa nation considers this issue very seriously.

Untangling complex problems
from the other side of the border-How will iCTG and telemedicine system will
expand from now on?

Prof. Tokuda: If you attempt to lower the perinatal
mortality rate, down the road you will start to see problems like poverty, public hygiene, economic problems,and many other background issues. It is important tountangle intertwined problems and solve them one by
one if you are looking for a fundamental solution.

Prof. Tokuda: This technology was originally developed by Professor Hara to solve the problem thatexisted in Kagawa prefecture, but it can also be transferred and be implemented oversea as well. In Thailand, with a cooperation of JICA (Japan International
Cooperation Agency), we have conducted 3 year term
grassroots technological cooperation project twice,and we are looking to implement it in many more countries now.

Prof. Hara: Kagawa prefecture has been designatedas “Special District for Medical and Social Welfare”
and attempted to construct a model for a nationwide
telemedicine network. When it comes to iCTG, wehave worked with JICA closely. We have received anews from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications that oversea organizations are showing highinterest in our project. It is our aim to first reach out tothe goals of SDGs. Weren’t there any difficulties?
Prof. Hara: I mean it’s not really a difficulty, but I
always had a conviction that our research topic will one
day be recognized, and with that mentality I
approached the national and prefectural governments,
and asked for a cooperation from doctor’s associations
and universities. We are now receiving more attention
from the world because our research aligned withSDGs, so I wish the interest will continue to grow evenmore.

To examine closely on what thesociety is really looking for-What is the plan of Kagawa University as a whole
to continue its effort on SDGs?

SDGs
Prof. Hara: According to UNICEF, the annual death
rate of fetus that died in the womb is about 2 million. I
am confident that by utilizing a fetal monitor many lives
will be saved. If the baby is born healthily, post birth
medical treatment will be less, hence decreasing themedical facility’s burden.

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ASEAN region to promote our technology to South
Pacific nations, and then to developed countries thatare suffering from high perinatal mortality rate. To behonest, since developing fetal monitor is not lucrative
field, many developed nations cannot spend a lot ofbudget.

Prof. Tokuda: In the coming year of 2022, Kagawa
University’s faculty of education, law, economics, andengineering and design will jointly establish a new
department in the graduate school. One of this interdisciplinary department’s theme is the issue of SDGs.
Up until now, Kagawa University has been actively
involved in international cooperation. For an example,in Cambodia, we partnered up with the local government to implement hygiene education into elementary
school and to operate this lesson into entire publicschooling system. Also, there is an ongoing international joint research with universities in Thailand,
Brunei, and the U.S. on the effectiveness of rare sugar
on decreasing risks of lifestyle related diseases suchas diabetes and obesities. Moreover, there is a
research on disaster forecast, crisis management, anddisaster relief program, and to transfer the technology
to nations suffering from annual natural disasters likeIndonesia and Nepal. And finally, we have Professor
Hara’s iCTG. All of the mentioned projects haveconnections to points declared in the SDGs.
-So all the activities were in fact in accordance to17