Championing health in ultra-poor communities with ICM
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Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the deadliest infectious diseases in the world. In 2020, there were an estimated 10 million cases of TB globally, and 1.5 million people died from the disease. TB disproportionately affects the most vulnerable communities, including those living in poverty and with limited access to healthcare.
In the Philippines, the incidence of TB is high, with an estimated 554 cases per 100,000 people in 2020. International Care Ministries (ICM) is a nonprofit organization that works to transform the lives of the ultra-poor in the Philippines through a holistic approach to community development. As part of its Transform program, ICM is working to combat TB through active case finding, which involves proactively identifying and treating TB cases in the community.
To support ICM’s efforts, CareGo Health Suite has partnered with ICM to provide innovative tools and solutions for active case finding. CareGo’s technology platform enables healthcare workers to inform and remind patients for their chest x-ray, sputum test appointments and timely intake of anti-TB medications, improving the accuracy and efficiency of TB screening and treatment.
In June 2022, the CareGo team joined ICM’s community health workers in Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte, to see how they train new Health Champions in the Transform communities. The team explored how CareGo’s mobile application can help enable them to provide timely and effective case management.
Through the partnership between CareGo and ICM, two (2) Rural Health Units in Southern Leyte were scheduled to use CareGo Health Suite in their TB ACF activities. The use of CareGo’s technology platform will enable healthcare workers to remind patients efficiently and effectively, reducing the time and resources needed for screening and treatment.
CareGo and ICM’s partnership is a powerful example of how technology can be harnessed to address some of the world’s most pressing health challenges. By combining ICM’s community-driven approach with CareGo Health Suite’s innovative solutions, the partnership is helping to improve the health and well-being of vulnerable communities in the Philippines.