Revolutionising Healthcare in Africa💉🌐👨🏻💻
How Technology is Changing Medicine in Siaya County, Kenya
We recently produced a film alongside BBC StoryWorks for The Philips Foundation in Siaya County, Kenya. The film highlights the impact of cardiovascular disease in Kenya and how the country has responded to this through the use of innovative technologies. Watch film below:
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a heart condition that causes issues such as blocked arteries, structural problems, and blood clots. And it is estimated that in Kenya 25% of hospital admissions and 13% of deaths are due to CVD. These are devastating statistics that highlight the large impact of CVD in Africa. This could lead to disproportionate impact on young people, unlike in developed countries where CVD typically affects older individuals, CVD in Africa affects people at a younger age, often in their 40s or 50s, leading to premature death and disability.
Limited access to healthcare in Africa is a significant challenge. Many people in Africa lack access to basic healthcare services, including screening and treatment for CVD. This is particularly true in rural areas where resources are scarce.
As a response to these challenges, the MoyaAfa Project, supported by The Philips Foundation, has trained more than 100 healthcare professionals in Siaya County, Kenya.
MoyoAfa -, Moyo meaning ‘heart’ and ‘Afya’ meaning health in Swahili
The MoyaAfa Project started in January 2022 and the 100 healthcare workers are trained in implementing processes for screening, triage, management, and referral. And equipping facilities with CVD risk screening tools like glucose and cholesterol meters, blood pressure monitors, scales, stadiometers, and point-of-care ultrasound and ECG monitors.
During the time of his film we met Jackline Opudo a Clinical Officer who has been screening patients since September 2022. She is dedicated about conducting thorough screening, testing, and diagnosis of patients with CVD. She was practically trained in the use of the Philips Lumify and KardioScreen machines or devices for screening of patients with CVD. The KardioScreen machine measures the cardiac conductivity of the heart and the Philips Lumify measures the blood flow to the heart.
One of Jackline's patients, Lucy Achieng, is 42 years old and has been diagnosed with hypertension, which is characterised by increased blood pressure. Lucy is a high-risk patient for stroke due to irregular heart rhythms and mild cardiac infarction. Prior to her hypertension diagnosis, she spent a lot of money on medication without knowing the condition of her heart.
The use of the above mentioned technologies transformed her life as she was properly diagnosed and provided with correct treatment specific to her condition. In her own words, “this medical technology is helping age well and I am really grateful”. The integration of technology into the medical system has the potential to improve the quality of life for individuals with CVD by enabling timely detection, personalised treatment plans, remote monitoring, and access to educational resources, ultimately resulting in better disease management and a healthier lifestyle.
The burden of CVD in Africa is a significant public health challenge that requires urgent attention and action. However, with the integration of technology into the healthcare system, there is hope for improved diagnosis, management, and prevention of CVD.
The story of Jackline Opudo, a healthcare official who utilised technology to diagnose and treat her patient Lucy Achieng, is a remarkable example of how technology can make a positive impact on the lives of those affected by CVD. By leveraging technology to provide personalised and effective care, we can transform the way we approach the prevention and management of CVD in Africa and ultimately help individuals like Lucy live longer, healthier lives.
News from ReWild Africa:
Jay, alongside freelancers Zander Botha, Steve Benjamin, and Ana-Filipa Domingues are currently in Mozambique to film WWF’s efforts on the Primeiras and Segundas Environmental Protected Area (PSEPA), and will be back next week.
Jay and Meg will be off to Uganda soon, working with SEED, and telling the story of some incredible eco-enterprises. One being Kyaffe Coffee; and the other being EcoPick.
Jules is very busy editing a film for Terra Nil - which is a game about transforming a barren, lifeless landscape into a thriving, vibrant ecosystem. They have partnered with Endangered Wildlife Trust and will be giving a percentage of their profits to real-world conservation in Southern Africa! You can download the game on Play Store or play it via Netflix games!
Ale will be editing a very important film about protecting the Wild Coast soon. More on this later!
Have a good weekend!