Sanofi Kenya unveils new digital diabetes Patient Support Programme

Sanofi Kenya has launched its first Digital Diabetes Patient Support Programme (PSP) in partnership with CheckUps Medical Center, a multidisciplinary rapid outpatient center that offers remote diagnostic services and education programs for patient with chronic diseases.

The programme dubbed as SPEED (Sanofi Patient Enlightenment and Empowerment Drive) seeks to promote safe and effective use of medicines, particularly for TYPE 2 patients with Diabetes who are on insulin treatment. 

The launch has come in time when the global fight against the rising burden of chronic diseases on households in Kenya.

Locally 45 percent of adult diabetics do not adhere to oral diabetic medication1 and 72 percent of Kenyan children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes have poor control and develop complications, notably, kidney disease, cataracts, hard to treat wounds, and even diabetic comas 2.

Complications of diabetes are among the leading causes of avoidable hospitalizations and preventable death.

The World Health Organization Global Action Plan to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases by 25 percent by 2025 calls for early detection, treatment and ongoing support of patients with NCDs yet there remains a systemic lack of the clinical workforce and technology necessary to support the recurring needs of patients with chronic diseases in a sustainable way. 

{ Read: Mobile tech to help fight diabetes and hypertension in Kenya }

“SPEED introduces a heightened standard of care to ensure that patients with Type 2 Diabetes have access to adequate information, support, care and medicines in an affordable efficient manner”, said  Mr. Peter Munyasi, Country Chair for Sanofi Kenya and General Manager, East Africa Hub.

He further expressed the strategic commitment of Sanofi to embrace technology solutions that foster enhanced access to care, medicines and support, and lauded the partnership with CheckUps Medical, as he recognized their outstanding efforts to build a technology ecosystem that enables patients to be conveniently monitored daily in their pursuit to achieve better health outcomes. 

 Dr. Isabelle Njoki, Medical Science Liaison for Sanofi, who is coordinating SPEED in Kenya, emphasised that PSPs have been shown to improve the adherence to insulin treatment in Type 2 diabetes patients, save on the cost of care and prevent hospitalizations due to complications, especially hypoglycemia.

{ See also: New drug for management of type 2 diabetes introduced in Kenya }

PSPs are now a standard of care to help patients avoid common mistakes like not knowing how to store their medicines, how to manage their doses in response to blood sugar levels and lifestyle changes. SPEED will support 1,000 patients with Type 2 diabetes in Nairobi and its environs in 2019.

Patients will learn more about their disease, experience high-touch daily remote monitoring and benefit from access to medicines and supplies at the most affordable rates to achieve optimal adherence to care.