Mobile App Closes Gap in Rural Ghana Healthcare

For many years, nursing staff working at grassroots healthcare centers have had to rely on creativity due to scarce supplies, lack of laboratory facilities, absence of ultrasound equipment, and occasionally even no power supply.

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If problems occurred, patients had to go to more advanced medical facilities, usually located many kilometers distant.

we encounter situations where expectant mothers are taken on bikes or motorcycles to access treatment," explains emmanuel ahene, a medical advisor for chps - community-based health planning service. "this happens quite frequently.

The statistics present a grim scenario — in four northern regions, merely 6% of centers were capable of delivering fundamental emergency maternity assistance, while only 3% provided thorough services.

Of the women who passed away or came close to death during childbirth, 39% gave birth in locations lacking emergency capabilities.

Currently, scientists from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) located in southern Ghana have created a smartphone app that has the potential to change this situation.

Bridging the digital divide

The application, known as the National Health Access Platform, aims to assist remote areas in accessing critical services efficiently and consistently, enhancing referral processes and minimizing treatment delays.

"we aimed to close the access divide," says rose-mary owusuaa mensah gyening, of knust, the project's principal investigator.

"We focused on features that support basic care, enable real-time referrals, and provide culturally appropriate health information."

The application enables community health workers and patients to schedule medical appointments, seek advice from advanced healthcare centers, obtain health-related details in native dialects, and get virtual doctor visits.

Medical institutions can adjust their available services and handle referral lists instantly.

Users can find the closest clinic or hospital using a map-driven platform, check the services offered, and start digital referrals. Importantly, data is kept on local devices and synchronizes automatically once internet access is restored.

"It functions effectively even in areas with weak signal strength," Gyening adds.

At the organizational level, managers have the ability to modify which services are active daily, allowing medical staff in isolated regions to provide better-informed recommendations.

Daniel Ansong, a physician specializing in pediatrics and public health within the group, presents the issue through an everyday example.

An facility close to Kpando [a city in eastern Ghana] has a pregnant woman requiring an ultrasound. She travels to Kpando, reaches there at 9:30 a.m., but is informed the ultrasound equipment is not functioning. She then heads to Hohoe [a town located one hour away from Kpando], only to be told that services will resume in the morning.

Using the app, he states, "the nurse can let her know that Kpando's ultrasound is available on Wednesdays, Hohoe's on Thursdays, and direct her accordingly."

Community-centered development

The initiative functions within the framework of Ghana's Ministry of Environment, Science, and Technology, with KNUST taking charge of its implementation.

Prior to developing the application, the group held comprehensive discussions with healthcare professionals, hospital administrators, and representatives from the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). Pilot testing took place throughout all 16 regions in Ghana.

"we weren't simply developing an application and launching it," gyening states.

We met with individuals involved in the system—including district managers, nurses, and emergency responders.

This method led to the creation of a tool aimed at tackling practical, everyday issues faced by underprivileged neighborhoods.

Scaling challenges and solutions

Although the application works properly, expanding it across the country faces major challenges.

Gyening states, not every underprivileged community has access to the internet.

We tackle this by offering certain features without an internet connection. However, to fully benefit from the app's capabilities, online access will ultimately be required." "We resolve this by providing specific functions that work when not connected to the web. Still, utilizing all the app has to offer requires eventual internet connectivity." "To handle this issue, we enable several tools to function off-line. Nevertheless, accessing the entire range of the app’s advantages necessitates having internet availability at some point." "We counter this challenge by allowing key features to operate without an Internet link. That said, achieving maximum value from the application demands future internet use.

The group feels that environmental responsibility relies on organizational backing.

Gyening states that KNUST can offer updates and technical assistance via our team, yet public-private collaborations and governmental support are crucial for expansion.

Ansong states, "Should NHIS be connected to the application, patients will not encounter duplicate fees. Furthermore, if the Ghana Health Service requires involvement, we could attain nationwide reach."

Joshua Ofoeda, an assistant professor and director of Information Technology at the University of Professional Studies, Accra, endorses the project as "an innovative strategy for tackling healthcare challenges in underprivileged areas, particularly in rural parts of Ghana."

He recommends that the group explore incorporating voice synthesis features to assist individuals with impairments.

The scientists think the application might help nearby nations dealing with comparable healthcare issues.

West Africa's healthcare systems encounter similar challenges—distance, lack of personnel, and inadequate facilities," notes Ansong. "If it succeeds here, it could also succeed in Burkina Faso or Nigeria.

Research supports this potential. Studies Demonstrate that throughout the area, women have a higher tendency to give birth at home, as 44% mention difficulties with transportation or extended travel times to medical centers.

In Nigeria, a 2023 study It was found that rural women are over two times more likely than their urban counterparts to give birth at home following insufficient prenatal care appointments.

Looking forward

"We're looking forward to the time when these apps and innovations are completely embraced by individuals," Gyening states.

The key focus has consistently been on assisting caregivers, rather than taking their place.

The group is currently organizing meetings with stakeholders and working alongside local authorities to incorporate the application into Ghana’s larger healthcare system—an essential move in improving medical services in one of the least supported areas globally.

Provided by SciDev.Net

This narrative first appeared on Medical Xpress .