Health
Philips Introduces App-Based Portable Ultrasound System in Africa
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Philips Africa has launched its first App-Based ultrasound system in Africa, which is expected to extend the reach of ultrasound applications to a broader network of healthcare providers using mobile technology.
Unveiled in Nairobi, Kenya, the Philips’ Lumify is an entirely new way of delivering ultrasound technology to healthcare providers and their patients; offering high-quality imaging on a compatible smart device through a subscription model.
Philips’ new ultrasound approach brings together mobile applications, advanced ultrasound transducer technology, integrated IT, training, education and support services to help healthcare providers improve care and reduce costs.
Lumify is designed for emergency departments and urgent care centres, as well as other clinical settings, and will operate from a compatible smart device connected to a Philips ultrasound transducer. Users will also have access to an online portal where they can manage their device and access Philips’ support, training and IT services.
The first-generation Lumify transducer is now commercially available across East Africa. The L12-4 transducer supports a variety of clinical applications, including soft tissue, musculoskeletal, lung and vascular scanning.
The C5-2 offers abdominal with lung and gallbladder pre-sets and Ob/Gyn capabilities. Whereas Lumify’s newest transducer, the S4-1, has presets for cardiac and FAST exams. All the applications and services are available through Philips’ new app-based portal.
“Our Lumify ultrasound is designed to drive transformation in care delivery and digital health – a dynamic combination that can extend the reach of ultrasound in a remarkable way,” said Jasper Westerink, CEO, Philips Africa. “Lumify’s unique combination of connectivity, simplicity, portability and flexibility enables clinicians to perform ultrasound examinations across a variety of clinical settings, from cardiology suites down to under resourced semi-urban and rural areas. Finally, clinicians as well as family doctors at small outpatient clinics can perform scans themselves, speeding up the diagnosis process and possible treatments”.
Cloud-enabled and tablet technology allows Lumify to offer users vast connectivity, flexibility and mobility. As a customized app-based solution, Lumify is designed to seamlessly integrate with patient profiles and a health system’s equipment using cloud-enabled technology.
The Lumify is part of Philips’ App-Based ultrasound ecosystem, an open innovation platform aimed to deliver the benefits of ultrasound early in the health continuum and expand access among more healthcare providers.
The Lumify ultrasound can help healthcare providers guide diagnosis, treatment and management in ways for which, ultrasound isn’t currently used. Built on a flexible subscription-based delivery model, users – healthcare providers and institutions – have access to and can manage solutions based on their changing demands and needs.
“The versatility, portability and safety of point of care ultrasound, has made it one of the most widely used first-line diagnostic tools.” said Dr. Anders Barasa, Cardiologist, Aga Khan University Hospital. “In a resource constrained environment, technology like Lumify can strengthen referral pathways affording quick diagnosis in emergency departments in major towns, or with time even in more remote areas improving patient outcomes”.
Reacts platform for remote collaboration and virtual training
The Lumify system is powered by IIT’s (Innovative Imaging Technologies) Reacts collaborative platform. This innovation connects clinicians around the globe in real time by turning a compatible smart device into an integrated tele-ultrasound solution, combining two-way audio-visual calls with live ultrasound streaming. This additional innovation in the Lumify ultrasound brings endless possibilities to its users both inside and outside hospital walls.
With this intuitive, easy-to-use integrated system, clinicians can begin their Reacts session with a face-to-face conversation on their Lumify ultrasound system. Users can switch to the front-facing camera on their smart device to show the position of the probe. They can then share the Lumify ultrasound stream, so both parties are simultaneously viewing the live ultrasound image and probe positioning, while discussing and interacting at the same time. In addition to clinicians seeking virtual guidance, Philips Lumify with Reacts is a valuable tool for teaching institutions, medical students and residents, emergency medical service providers, disaster relief providers and hospitals with satellite clinics.
Breaking down barriers in a wide range of care settings
Lumify with Reacts can help advance patient care by bringing experts into an ultrasound exam anywhere in Africa:
A professor can go on virtual ultrasound rounds with students, helping them learn anatomy and probe positioning quickly and efficiently, unrestricted by location.
A doctor can consult a colleague and receive expertise and guidance using live streaming ultrasound.
A midwife in a remote location can call upon an obstetrician in a different location to receive perspective and guidance, discussing the ultrasound exam as if they were in the same room.
An emergency medical technician in an ambulance can stream the live ultrasound exam and discuss a patient’s condition with an emergency department physician, expediting care delivery upon arrival.
Philips is a leader in ultrasound solutions with a large global installed base and strong track record of industry-first innovations in areas such as 3D imaging of the heart, quantification tools driven by Anatomical Intelligence, and ultra-mobile, portable ultrasound solutions. Philips’ ultrasound portfolio supports the effective and efficient delivery of care across a broad range of clinical specialties including radiology, cardiology, point-of-care and OB/GYN.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) says the number of Nigerians enrolled in health insurance has risen to more than 22 million.
The Director-General of NHIA, Mr Kelechi Ohiri, said this resulted from the implementation of the mandatory health insurance, which has gained momentum nationwide.
He said this on Wednesday at the Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Association of Insurance and Pension Editors (NAIPE) in Lagos.
Mr Ohiri said enrolment had increased to 22.03 million, representing a 35 per cent year-on-year growth, attributing this to stronger collaboration with state social health insurance agencies, ministries, departments and agencies, organised labour, employers, the private sector, and the gradual implementation of the mandatory health insurance provisions of the NHIA Act.
He said that the country had moved beyond policy formulation to delivering measurable improvements in healthcare access, service quality and consumer protection in line with the federal government’s health sector reform agenda.
According to him, Nigeria already has the necessary policies and legislation to achieve Universal Health Coverage, positing that the key challenge was effective implementation.
“The decisive variable is now implementation- consistent, rigorous and accountable execution that converts political commitment into healthcare access for real Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Ohiri said that the transition from the former National Health Insurance Scheme to the NHIA had strengthened regulation, consumer protection, accountability and strategic purchasing, while providing the legal and operational framework for achieving Universal Health Coverage.
He added that improving the experience of enrollees remained central to the Authority’s reform agenda.
According to him, NHIA has strengthened its complaints management system, introduced faster resolution timelines, and intensified compliance monitoring of Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) and healthcare providers.
He further added that NHIA had sanctioned facilities that failed to meet the required standards, adding that his organisation had resolved 3,878 complaints, representing an 87 per cent resolution rate, while 95 per cent of the cases were concluded within prescribed timelines.
Mr Ohiri noted that more than N14.2 million had been refunded to enrollees, while non-compliant healthcare facilities had been sanctioned.
He said NHIA had also introduced service standards, including a one-hour treatment commencement target for enrollees requiring urgent care, to improve access to timely and quality healthcare services.
The NHIA boss further disclosed that capitation payments to healthcare providers had been increased by 93 per cent.
He said fee-for-service reimbursements rose by 378 per cent to enable providers to invest more in personnel, equipment and infrastructure.
According to him, 7,592 healthcare facilities have been assessed under the SafeCare quality framework as part of efforts to institutionalise continuous quality improvement across the country.
Mr Ohiri also highlighted interventions targeted at vulnerable groups, including support for more than 48,500 pregnant women, expanded maternal and newborn healthcare services, the Vulnerable Group Fund, and improved access to healthcare for pensioners and retirees.
He said Universal Health Coverage could only be achieved if every Nigerian, regardless of income or location, had access to quality healthcare services.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The new one-hour authorisation response time ultimatum policy introduced by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has received the full backing of SUNU Health Nigeria Limited.
This policy was introduced by the agency to ensure enrollees get prompt approval codes to access care.
Healthcare service providers have been urged to report any Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) that violates this initiative through an email, with the HMO in copy and a timestamp attached as evidence of the request. They may proceed to offer services to enrollees thereafter.
Speaking at the company’s second-quarter Providers’ Forum for the Lagos-Ogun region in Lagos recently, the chief executive of SUNU Health, Dr Moyosore Olomola, expressed optimism that this policy would improve healthcare delivery in the country, especially for enrollees, who crave quality service.
At the event themed Improving Quality and Access to Care Through Stronger Provider Network, and held at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) in Yaba, Lagos, Mr Olomola reaffirmed the HMO’s commitment to operating within legal and operational frameworks to guarantee adequate care for enrollees.
“Access to care and quality of care remain key priorities in our healthcare systems. We know quite well that deliberate collaboration, strategic partnerships, and a shared commitment to excellence are required to achieve these priorities.
“A strong provider network is doubtless the backbone of any effective healthcare system. It ensures that our mutual enrollees receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place, and at the right price,” Mr Olomola, represented at the programme by the organisation’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Dr Faith Nwachi, stated.
He further assured that SUNU Health would strictly adhere to the one-hour authorisation limit, stressing that this aligns seamlessly with one of the organisation’s core values—promptness and its corporate slogan, Humanity is the centre of our initiatives.
In a bid to further improve access and quality of care, SUNU Health also demonstrated its new operational software and Mobile app, aptly named SUNU Legacy.
Also speaking at the event, the NHIA Lagos State Coordinator (Ikeja), Dr Bethuel-Kasimu Abraham, noted that the forum’s expected outcome is to significantly reduce delays in accessing medical care.
Other key expectations include ensuring continuity of care, improving patient outcomes, and strengthening accountability among HMOs.
Addressing specific pain points faced by enrollees, the NHIA Ogun State Coordinator, Mr Dare Adefeso, acknowledged that the agency had received complaints regarding out-of-stock drugs and the discrimination of enrollees by certain providers.
He affirmed that the NHIA is actively addressing these issues, stressing that moving forward, every facility must ensure enrollees are properly catered to regardless of their status, provided they have an active health insurance plan.
Corroborating the long-standing legacy of SUNU Health, the Ogun State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mrs Aishat Tiamiyu, shared that her agency is responsible for public information dissemination and has been enrolled with SUNU Health for over 25 years.
Commending the HMO’s stellar service over two decades, she called for the immediate enrollment of new NOA staff into the scheme.
The Providers’ Forum remains one of the strategic channels employed by SUNU Health to consistently engage healthcare providers, understand their operational challenges, introduce new software updates, and solidify partnerships aimed at fostering premium healthcare delivery across Nigeria.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced the recall of a sexual enhancement product known as WAP Sensual Enhancement Capsules.
In a statement on Monday, the Nigerian agency disclosed that the recall is due to “undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients” in the product, whose country of origin is unknown, but is marketed and distributed online in the US through eBay.
It was emphasised that the recall is being “voluntarily” made by the manufacturer, Best Supplements Best Prices Company.
The detection of the undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients was made by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Laboratory analysis by the US FDA revealed that the product contained undeclared sildenafil, tadalafil, and flibanserin, which were not mentioned on the product label. Such substances may include phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors or related compounds commonly used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, the statement by NAFDAC stated.
Sildenafil and tadalafil are ingredients in FDA-approved prescription drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction.
It was noted that these undeclared ingredients may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs, such as nitroglycerin, and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. Consumers with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease often take nitrates.
Flibanserin is the active ingredient in an FDA-approved prescription drug used to treat low sexual desire in women. Flibanserin can cause drowsiness, sedation, dangerously low blood pressure, and fainting, especially when combined with alcohol.
Consumers have been encouraged to report compromised products (medicines or medical devices) to the nearest NAFDAC office, call 0800-162-3322, or send an email to sf******@********ov.ng.
