Digital Pulse - Chap 3 - Sec 4 - Cell-Life

Development Issues: HIV/AIDS

Programme Summary

For AIDS patients in South Africa, a simpler anti-retroviral treatment processes will soon be available. Currently, treatment is complex – often involving the ingestion of up to 20 pills daily at set times. A collaborative effort between the University of Cape Town's (UCT's) Departments of Civil and Electrical Engineering and the Cape Technikon is introducing a solution. The project, called Cell-life, involves the use of cell phones programmed to record the medications details of AIDS patients.

Summary of ICT Initiatives

The Cell-Life project utilizes the programmed cell phones to alert and remind the patients about when to take their medication. It brings together technology experts in IT, health and engineering to solve the management problem of HIV/AIDS. By merging cell phone technology with the Internet and database systems, a Medication Management System has been developed, one that provides a "virtual" infrastructure to support HIV positive patients on anti-retroviral treatment.

Cell phone giant Vodacom has stepped in to provide sponsorship and support for the project, which will be showcased at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg. A pilot project has just been launched in Gugulethu involving a group of "therapeutic counsellors" (trained peer counsellors from the community who are also taking anti-retrovirals) who carefully record the health status of the patients in their care, including their adherence to medication schedules.

These counsellors visit patients several times a week. During the visit cell phones, which have a wireless Internet gateway (WIG) application, are used to report on a patient's status. The information is sent via short messaging service (SMS) to a central database, which can be accessed by the patient's doctor or nurse. Should an emergency arise, the doctor will be automatically contacted via SMS and beeper.

The development signals a significant breakthrough in the provision of anti-retroviral treatment. Much of the focus on anti-retrovirals has centred on provision costs and toxicity levels. Little has been written about the sophisticated management involved in providing the therapy. "Since the HIV virus mutates at a very high rate, the medication is only successful if taken as part of a complex time-and-diet regime. If the schedule is not adhered to with 95% compliance, the virus will start mutating and resistant strains to the specific drug will develop," explains project leader, Dr Ulrike Rivett from UCT's Department of Civil Engineering. "To support the patients in this life-long treatment, physical and psychological support has to be provided. As there are not enough doctors or nurses trained on the issues of HIV/AIDS, a short-term solution has been identified in the therapeutic counsellors who are supported by technology." She says that Cell-life, which has been pre-patented, brings together technology experts in IT, health and engineering to solve what is undoubtedly a logistical nightmare for patients and health professionals. The cell phone solution also provides a data collection tool to establish drug effectiveness and response time to side effects, such as lever-toxicity after using Nevirapine. It is envisaged that cell phones with GPS technology will be provided to the therapeutic counsellors, an important factor in rural areas.

The idea originated in July 1999. Rivett was giving a talk at the Cape Technikon's Mother and Daughter Day, explaining why women did not automatically turn to engineering as a career option. "Women are nurturers and carers and often turn to those careers where these characteristics will be fulfilled," she notes. "During question and answer time a young womanasked what engineering was doing to prevent the spread HIV/AIDS. I was floored," she admits."I really had no answer. But it got me thinking. I came up with an idea for a pillbox that would send signals to a database." Rivett discussed the idea with many colleagues, from engineering to health sciences. "It was Professor Jon Tapson from UCT's Electrical Engineering who suggested we use existing technology to cut costs. Cell phones provided the perfect solution."

Observations

The spin-offs offered by this technology are significant as it can be used in the wider health arena. "We don't have the resources to build the roads, hospitals and clinics that engineers devote their energies to, but we can build a virtual infrastructures, with databases of patients, where one doctor can advise hundreds of patients all over the country," Rivett concludes. Importantly for the Engineering and Built Environment (EBE) Faculty, the project has also moved the faculty into a "different era", says Rivett. Many of the students have been involved developing the systems for the project. "This is the first time our students have been directly involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS and where they have been able to see the direct impact of their work."

Partners: University of Cape Town, Technikon

Source:GlobalKnowledge.org andScience in Africa

For More Information Contact:

Dr Ulrike Rivett

082 940 4349

Shireen Sedres

Manager: Media Liaison

Dept. Communication & Marketing

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