Telehealth for Cervical Cancer Screening and Care in Uganda, phase 2

Telehealth for Cervical Cancer Screening and Care in Uganda

Scaling up to West Nile Region (Arua)

Scale up project expanding telehealth initiative to screen and diagnose more women accurately though the use of mobile handheld colposcopies coupled with image capturing smartphones and software for patient record management. This scale up extends services by the Cancer Institute in Kampala, and the previously established satellite clinics in Mbarara and Mayuge.

Challenges to address

Cervical cancer (CaCx) is the fourth most common cancer in women globally. Over 85% of these cases occur in women living in LMICs. Eastern Africa has the highest incidence of CaCx, and the most common cancer among women in Uganda, with incidents increasing. 6413/new cases per year in Uganda, with over 4300 women dying each year.

Activities

The project aims to improve access to cervical cancer screening services in West Nile region of Uganda, by implementing a telehealth system (composed of Gynoculars, Smartphones and mobile app), training of health workers on the system, and using this to screen women for CaCx at Arua cancer clinic. 

A portable colposcope called Gynocular coupled with a Smartphone allow capturing of clinical details and cervicograms. The images and clinical details are transmitted securely over the broadband network from the frontline facility where CaCx screening is done, a Gynecologists/specialist in CaCx can give a second opinion to the frontline nurse in Arua.