Cancer diagnosis due to lack of adequate information has been cited as some of the drawbacks in the fight against the disease.
However this may now become a thing of the past thanks to a new innovation. A group of three youths in Eldoret have developed a mobile platform to assist cancer patients obtain proper and correct information on the disease.
Salim Bakari, one of the developers of the app dubbed Cancer and Chronic Diseases Focus, says they found that there is a widespread lack of information on cancer among the local communities.
Through the app, they have put together crucial health information on 27 most common cancers in the country and four other chronic diseases including diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis and high blood pressure.
Mr Bakari observes that the information, comprising causes and risk factors, on these diseases is reviewed by qualified medical practitioners based at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret Hospital, and Uasin-Gishu County hospital, before it is published on the platform. This they do ensure the integrity of the information. The content developers review the content after every three months since information on health keep changing. It also has a feature that reminds a patient about medical appointments.
The app contains information on what a user needs to look out for regarding various cancers in order to seek appropriate treatment on time from qualified health-care facilities and professionals.
“We want the community to know tell-tale signs and symptoms of cancer so that they seek early treatment. For instance, should one notices something unusual in their body, they go to a hospital and get treatment,” says Mr Bakari.
The App also has a feature that allows one to be linked to various health facilities, both public and private, across the countries that offer oncology services. It uses Google map that shows the distance and time one can take to the nearest oncology centre.
The app is available on Google store, and a user can downloads and use it offline.