By Sami Zaptia. London, 18 December 2020: As part of a coordinated effort to facilitate improved access to healthcare for all people in Libya, and as a successful example of a private-public partnership (PPP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with support from the Government of Japan, has partnered with a Libyan private sector startup company (Speetar) and the Ministry of Health to develop the first Telemedicine initiative in Libya. The initiative was launched yesterday at a ceremony in Tripoli with a live demonstration. The UNDP explained that telemedicine involves an innovative use of telecommunications technology in the provision of healthcare services to vulnerable populations, especially those who live in hard-to-reach areas that are far from the healthcare provider. The use of Telemedicine to “narrow the gap” and “extend the reach” has recently experienced a rapid growth in many parts of the world as healthcare providers and their patients consistently look for alternative solutions.