Predictive smart app launched for non-communicable diseases

A smart app launched by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) called E-Etmenan (Assurance in Arabic) will help in early detection and prevention of non-communicable diseases resulting in a saving of several million dirhams in health-care costs. The UAE is the first country to implement this system which is “predictive, preventive, personalised and participative”, said an expert.

The app will be provided by the health centre to the registered patients on their smart phones or any other smart device. For those who are not familiar with the devices, nurses at health centres will offer assistance.

“The app will help us in early detection and prevention of non-communicable diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol and cardiovascular diseases (CVD),” said Dr Hussain Abdul Rahman Al Rand, assistant undersecretary of the ministry’s health and prevention sector.

The ministry will introduce the app free of charge at three health centres in a couple of weeks and later launch in all 70 health centres, said Dr Al Rand. The app, developed in cooperation with Belgian company Science Tribune, has a detailed questionnaire based on 1,700 World Health Organisation (WHO) health research reports. The results are processed through algorithms that do a risk stratification and create treatment modules based on individual or personalised assessment, said Francis Vanhoof, CEO of Science Tribune, explaining the working of the system which has won awards in Belgium and is being implemented in various European countries.

“In the Middle East, the UAE is the first to implement this system which is predictive, preventive, personalised and participative,” he added.

Vanhoof said that this type of a smart application in Belgium had resulted in a 25 per cent reduction in CVD and 35 per cent in colorectal cancers.

Dr Al Rand added that with smart applications such as these, medicine was moving from reactive to preventive and sickness to wellness.

 

How the app works

E Etmenan app has three stages.

The first stage offers an interactive questionnaire and based on the answers, further questions will be asked.

Second, the data [of the answers] will be processed according to algorithms that will detect any condition and advise on personalised treatment.

Third stage will include the first follow-up based on the advised treatment module. For this, Science Tribune will be training up to 200 Emirati nurses to implement the first follow-up stage. The next follow-ups could be with the GP and the final one with the specialists.

This methodology has proved to lead to saving health-care costs, explained Vanhoof.

 

 

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Feco Test

Another preventive app introduced by Science Tribune which will be made available to UAE residents is meant to detect colorectal cancer. This is the second highest detected cancer in the UAE. As easy as the pregnancy test, it has a small plastic notch to place fecal occult blood and a positive/ negative indicator delivers the result. Vanhoof added: “The positive result could mean that if one has ulcers or polyps, they could go ahead with colonoscopy to exclude colorectal cancer. Early detection can completely reverse the condition and we have observed that of 30 devices distributed, it saved one life.”

 

How preventive screening with this app saves treatment costs

 

Dh650 million

is saved per 1 million of Type II diabetes patients in 20 years

 

Dh1.3 billion

can be saved in the same population in 20 years if cardiovascular risks are included

 

Dh50,000 per year

Saving in colorectal cancer treatment

source: GULF NEWS