Chronic diseases or non-communicable diseases are diseases that last one year or more. This means that you require more medical attention. It is estimated that chronic diseases cause 70% of deaths that occur around the world. Chronic diseases are responsible for 17.9 million deaths yearly, as stated by the World Health Organization. The most common disease is cancer, which causes 9.3 million deaths annually. In addition, chronic respiratory disease causes 4.1 million deaths; diabetes and kidney disease cause 2.0 million deaths worldwide.
It is estimated that 85% of the deaths caused by non-communicable diseases occur in low-income or middle-income countries. Having a chronic illness can make people feel anxious and depressed. The study shows that a quarter of people with chronic diseases experience depression. Rwanda is a developing country among those experiencing death due to chronic diseases.
The mortality rate in Rwanda is 36.1% annually; it is estimated that 44 % of these deaths are caused by chronic diseases, as the Rwanda Biomedical center report stated. The World health organization estimates that 13% of those deaths are caused by cancer, 3% by communicable diseases such as HIV, which are chronic, 2 % by diabetes, and 13% by other non-communicable diseases. It is estimated that 13.08% of the population in Rwanda is depressed, which is one of the most pressing issues in Rwanda, especially among people with chronic diseases. That is why companies like Companion App health support telemedicine here in Rwanda.
What are the problems that the Companion app solves in the healthcare sector?
Depression and anxiety are prevalent in patients with chronic disease but remain unconsidered despite significant negative consequences on patient health. Companion apps offer different services that make patients feel like they are supported, and they are not alone. They provide medicine reminders, custom regimens, an emergency line, privacy & security, and synchronized records.
- Medicine Reminder
This feature reminds a patient of the time to take medication. It also helps a patient feel like he is not alone in the journey. On the country level, it reduces the mortality rate due to chronic disease or depression and anxiety.
- Custom Regimen
After this analysis, the app develops a customized meal plan to help you during the sickness journey.
The feature here assesses the patient’s disease, the natural things the person is allowed to eat, and something the patient likes or might be allergic to.
This also helps the country reduce the mortality rate because patients feel motivated to take care of their bodies; hence, it significantly reduces depression and anxiety.
- Emergency Line
The Companion app gives you a feature where you can see emergency contact in an emergency, and one is around you to help.
- Privacy and Security
Companion apps give a feature that shows how much they value your privacy. For example, if you do not want anyone to see your healthcare status, you can lock your app with updated models like finder print, pin code, and password. This will reduce people who usually make fun of chronic disease patients.
- Synchronized Records
This app keeps a record of your daily activities. For example, you can check your progress with customized meal plans that are done monthly. With this feature, people feel motivated to achieve health goals, which creates and builds hope for chronic disease patients.
What is the role of the Companion app in solving healthcare problems in Rwanda?
Different studies show that ⅓ of people with chronic diseases die due to depression, and 44% of the deaths in Rwanda yearly are caused by chronic disease.
The Companion App will help Rwanda to digitize the healthcare service for people with chronic disease by supporting them in their journey, reminding them of their medication intake, helping them understand different types of food that they can keep to reduce healthcare risks, providing other lines they can call in emergency cases as well as showing their progress every month.
This will help Rwanda to minimize the mortality rate by raising awareness of what patients can do to avoid risking their lives. For most people who are ashamed to ask for help, Companion App will be a lifesaver and a life companion.
According to Mayo Clinic, Telehealth, also known as e-health, uses digital information and communication technologies to access healthcare services remotely and manage your health.
Also, telemedicine is the use of two-way voice and visual communication to provide medical services to patients remotely where the doctors and patients are in separate locations. This is done through computers and mobile devices like tablets and smartphones. In this article, we explore how Remote doctors 4 Africa implements telehealth and telemedicine to provide quality healthcare services remotely and in rural communities.
