Health
The mobile phone app that discovers disease, saves lives in Africa
What if a mobile phone could prevent a health epidemic? It may sound like science fiction, but the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Polio Geographic Information System (GIS) Technology is doing just that in 43 countries in Africa.
The idea is simple: Health workers visit remote villages to check if local inhabitants have any symptoms of a range of life-threatening infectious diseases, including polio and measles. Then, with the mobile app, they quickly and easily alert WHO.
“This is one of the most exciting things that is happening in the WHO regional office in Africa,” Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, told participants during the GIS session, which took place on the last day of the second African Health Forum in Praia, Cabo Verde.
The system allows WHO and health ministries to monitor in real time the visits that people and caregivers make to the most remote areas and to make sure that people most in need are being reached.
“Overlaying the geographical location of the mobile phone signal and the route of the roads, we noticed that sometimes visits were only made along the main road and not to the most remote places, which is where we need to be if there is a problem,” explained Dr Moeti in describing the GIS app.
“This is an absolutely powerful tool,” she exclaimed. Supported by the Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation and created primarily for polio surveillance, GIS uses the AVADAR computer platform, which records changes in the health of inhabitants and identifies possible disease outbreaks.
“People think that this is all very high tech, but in fact, it is not – it is super user-friendly, and it gives us what we need, which is data. The AVADAR is very versatile and simple and can be used by everyone,” said Dr Magaran Bagayoko, Acting Director of the Health Systems Strengthening Cluster.
With more than 6 000 community outreach workers and more than 1 000 health workers, the programme for research and geographical control of diseases is the future of health surveillance – helping to ensure that we not only prevent a recurrence of diseases like polio but eradicate them once and for all. It shows how far we have come since 1996, when Nelson Mandela launched the Kick Polio Out of Africa campaign, a scourge that, at that time, affected 75 000 African children every year.
Resident doctors at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH) in Ondo State have initiated a 14-day warning strike, as confirmed by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).
The strike action, led by the association’s President, John Matthew, highlights various grievances, notably the non-payment of seven months’ salaries to new members.
Matthew added that the strike also addresses the non-payment of palliative to House Officers since February, the failure to disburse the February Hazard Allowance despite prior assurances from the state government, and the ongoing shortage of staff due to resignations.
Matthew lamented the drastic decrease in resident doctors, citing a decrease from 150 doctors to a mere 26 in recent months.
In response to the situation, he urged management to prioritise the full payment of arrears owed to members, immediate payment of the February 2024 palliative to house officers, and prompt disbursement of the February hazard allowance.
The association further called for urgent measures to address the critical shortage of clinical manpower within the institution.
The Federal Government has greenlit the allocation of N25 billion to bolster the efforts of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in advancing healthcare accessibility and quality across Nigeria.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, made this known, stressing the steadfast commitment of the current administration towards revamping the healthcare system to achieve Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC) for all Nigerians.
In a statement by Deworitshe Patricia, a spokesperson for the ministry, Pate emphasised that the government’s strategy for health sector transformation involves the implementation of a Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) and the Health Sector Renewal Investment Programme (NHSRIP).
Addressing the imperative for reforms in Nigeria’s primary healthcare delivery, Pate highlighted the significance of revising the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) and its associated programmes.
Pate outlined the objectives of the revised guidelines, which include expanding healthcare services for underserved populations, particularly women and children, reducing maternal mortality rates, alleviating out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, and standardizing healthcare quality across primary healthcare facilities nationwide.
“The Ministry, in collaboration with development partners, is dedicated to ensuring equitable access to healthcare services for all Nigerians, with a special focus on vulnerable groups,” stated Pate. “Through initiatives like NHSRIP, we aspire to minimize the need for long-distance travel for medical care, thereby improving the overall health outcomes and well-being of our citizens.”
In a monumental achievement for medical science, a team of Saudi professionals at the King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital has completed the separation surgery of Nigerian conjoined twins, Hassana and Husaina.
The directive for this historic achievement came from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, demonstrating the Kingdom’s commitment to advancing healthcare.
The complex procedure, initiated on Thursday morning, was the result of meticulous planning and execution by a dedicated team of 38 medical experts. This group included consultants, specialists, technicians, and nursing staff, all working in harmony to address shared areas in the lower abdomen, pelvis, lower spine, and lower spinal nerves of the twins.
The surgery, unfolding in nine carefully planned stages, lasted approximately 14 hours. Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, Advisor at the Royal Court, Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), and head of the medical team, expressed confidence in the success of the procedure, citing a noteworthy 70% success rate.
“This is a momentous occasion that showcases the Kingdom’s commitment to advancing medical science and providing compassionate healthcare globally,” he said.
The successful separation of Hassana and Husaina commemorates the 60th operation conducted by the Saudi programme for separating conjoined twins. Over the past 34 years, this programme has offered care to 135 conjoined twins from 25 countries.
Dr. Al Rabeeah expressed heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to the Saudi leadership for their steadfast support of the programme.
He said, “The successful separation of Hassana and Husaina exemplifies the Kingdom’s dedication to humanitarian causes and its role as a leader in global healthcare.”
The Press Attaché at the Saudi embassy in Abuja, Mohammed Alsahabi, remarked on the accomplishment, stating, “This remarkable feat underscores the strong collaboration between Saudi Arabia and Nigeria in healthcare. We take pride in contributing to the improvement of these twins’ lives and their families.”
The separation of Hassana and Husaina represents not just a medical triumph but also serves as a symbol of hope for numerous individuals confronting similar challenges globally.
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