By Samira Larbie
Accra, May 02, GNA – The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has launched its first-ever digital service dubbed “NCD Care” to enable diabetes and hypertension patients access to quality and timely care in the comfort of their homes.
The launch was in collaboration with PharmAccess Foundation, an international non-profit organization dedicated to connecting more people in sub-Saharan Africa to better healthcare, and Luscii app, which helps create more space for care.
NCD Care is an innovative remote digital healthcare service that allows individuals diagnosed with diabetes and hypertension to use self-management tools to enter daily measurements wherever they find themselves to be monitored and managed by medical officers at the UGMC in real-time.
The technology, which is fast and time saving, would help reduce consultancy frequency, and daily trips to the hospital, encourage self-monitoring, bring down the cost of care, reduce the burden on healthcare staff, and ensure healthy living.
Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are conditions that are not transmissible directly from one person to another. NCDs are on the rise in Ghana as about 100,000 people die each from diseases like hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease, and heart problems.
NCDs are the single highest cause of mortality globally. Research indicates that about 12 million people die annually from NCDs in Low- and Middle-Income Countries alone.
Hypertension and diabetes are the second highest cause of death in Ghana among people aged 30-60 years.
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 85 Hypertension-related scientific papers involving over 80,000 healthy people in Ghana, published in 2021 by Bosu et al, revealed that about 35 per cent of people living with hypertension in Ghana were aware they have the disease.
The research also indicated that about 20 per cent of people living with hypertension in Ghana were on treatment, only six percent have their blood pressure controlled and 27 per cent have their blood pressure controlled.
Dr Darius Osei, the Chief Executive of UGMC, speaking at the event, said facility initiated the NCD Care service as part of interventions to help reduce morbidity and mortality rates of these diseases.
He said even though clients of UGMC had the advantage of getting on board to have access to these services, it was open to the public and could be used when people download the Luscii app on their smartphone with Android software 7.0 and above, or iOS 12 and above.
Dr Marian Opoku-Agyakwa, Head of the NCD Service and Family Physician UGMC, said after downloading the app, a team from UGMC would contact clients to explain how to use the app and device, send notifications on when to take measurements, and see a medical doctor.
“You will then take the measurements yourself in the comfort and safety of your home, and then record the measurements on the Luscii app on your phone to be accessed by your medical doctor remotely,” she added.
Dr Maxwell Antwi, the Country Director PharmAccess, while speaking on the mandate of PharmAccess commended UGMC for taking the right steps as the trailblazer to use the power of digital technology to address a huge national challenge and meet the growing burden of NCDs for its clients.
He said the good news was that over 50 per cent of people who were in NCD Care have had their Blood pressure (BP) controlled, adding that this was about 100 per cent better than those who visit hospitals in person only.
“The future of health is in combining in-person with digital care and UGMC is setting the pace,” he added.
Mr Ronald Scheffer, the Chief Executive Officer of Luscii, expressed appreciation for the initiative and pledged their continuous support to ensure the best NCD care for all.
Dr Anarfi Asamoah-Baah, the Board Chairman of UGMC, commended the initiators of the service and asked “that this should help build on the lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
He urged the centre to ensure that the service was sustained to achieve its purpose.
GNA