Queen Máxima applauds PharmAccess’ NkwaPlus for saving patients time and livelihoods

Queen Máxima of the Netherlands has expressed admiration for a digital remote system that allows patients living with hypertension and diabetes to monitor their conditions from home without making frequent visits to the hospital.

During a visit to Manna Mission Hospital in Accra on Tuesday, November 3, the Queen witnessed a live demonstration of the NkwaPlus digital platform, which enables patients to record their blood pressure readings and receive medical advice remotely.

The Queen, who is in Ghana as the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Advocate for Financial Health, interacted with nurses, doctors and patients to understand how the technology is improving healthcare delivery while reducing the financial burden on patients.

One of the patients who caught her attention was 57-year-old Georgina Amedome, a widow and mother of three who has lived with hypertension for 18 years.

Georgina explained that the digital monitoring system has reduced her hospital visits, allowing her to spend more time running her business and caring for her children.

"I have been living with high blood pressure for 18 good years now. Because of NkwaPlus, I have not been coming to the hospital as often as before. I check my blood pressure twice at home. I send the readings to the doctor. If the reading is high, the doctor will ask me to come to the hospital immediately. But if it is normal, I can go about my business and work," she told the Queen.

The Queen appeared particularly interested in how the technology was helping Georgina maintain her livelihood.

"As a businesswoman, I go to the market early in the morning to sell my goods, earn some money and take care of my children at home. It saves me money and time," Georgina explained.

When Queen Máxima asked about the cost of travelling to the hospital, Georgina indicated that she spent approximately GH¢20 on transportation for each visit.

She explained that previously, she had to endure long queues at the hospital, but the digital platform now allows her to check her blood pressure at home and share the readings with healthcare professionals.

The Queen welcomed the development, describing the ability of patients to receive medical attention without frequently travelling to the hospital as a significant improvement.

Queen witnesses live blood pressure monitoring

During the interaction, Nurse Esther Nyadzorgbe demonstrated how patients are registered on the NkwaPlus platform and trained to monitor their blood pressure independently.

She explained that the system has helped reduce treatment defaults and enabled healthcare professionals to monitor patients who might otherwise develop complications without timely medical attention.

"Some time ago, we used to have a lot of emergencies. Some patients defaulted on treatment, while others did not take their medications regularly. But with the NkwaPlus app, we are able to monitor them even from the comfort of their homes. It has reduced the long queues at the hospital and helped our patients save money to take care of their other needs and businesses," she added.

As part of the demonstration, Georgina entered her blood pressure reading of 140 over 100, with a pulse of 80, into the application. The system immediately generated an alert warning that her blood pressure was high and advising her to seek medical attention.

"We suggest that your blood pressure is too high. Please go to a hospital or the nearest health facility immediately," the message stated.

Nurse Esther then asked Georgina to explain what the alert meant.

"The message tells me that my blood pressure is too high. I have to rush to the hospital immediately," she responded.

The Queen subsequently observed how the hospital's medical team received the alert through the platform. A doctor demonstrated how the system could be used to review a patient's readings, assess medication and initiate a video consultation.

During the live consultation, the doctor contacted Georgina to enquire whether she had taken her medication.

"I have received your blood pressure reading. It is high. Have you taken your medication today?" the doctor asked.

After Georgina confirmed taking her medication, the doctor advised her to rest and check her blood pressure again after 30 minutes. The Queen expressed excitement about the system's ability to connect patients and doctors without requiring physical visits for every consultation.

"How wonderful," she remarked after learning that patients could sometimes receive medical advice and have their medication reviewed remotely.

Queen questions cost savings for patients and hospitals

Queen Máxima also sought to understand the financial implications of the technology, particularly the savings patients and healthcare facilities could make through early detection and treatment.

When informed that a home blood pressure monitoring device cost 600 cedis, she described the technology as a significant change in healthcare delivery.

"But that is a big change. You wouldn't be able to do that before, right?" she asked.

She also questioned whether the remote monitoring service was covered by Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme.

Healthcare professionals explained that the initiative was still being piloted and had not yet been incorporated into the scheme's coverage.

"I want to see how much it saves both the patient and the hospital at the end of the day. Because when somebody comes too late, the hospital has to do a lot more. So you're avoiding problems, right?" the Queen asked.

Healthcare professionals explained that the system was helping to reduce long queues and allowing patients to alert doctors when they experience medical emergencies.

They also highlighted the importance of identifying complications early, noting that conditions such as stroke could require substantially more expensive treatment.

The Queen stressed the importance of digitalisation in making such healthcare innovations possible.

"And you can only do it if you have everything digitised. So you need to have the digitisation process in order to be able to come up with things like this," she observed.

Queen Máxima invited to join digital health platform

The interaction took an interesting turn when one of thedoctors invited Queen Máxima to register on the NkwaPlus platform.

"May I have the pleasure of onboarding you onto the app?" the doctor asked.

The Queen responded with a smile, explaining that she did not have hypertension or diabetes.

"Oh, but I have no hypertension. And no diabetes. I hardly take any salt, and I do my exercises every day," she said.

The doctor explained that the platform was not limited to patients with chronic diseases but could also support general wellbeing.

The healthcare workers then introduced the Queen to the Ghanaian title "Ohemaa", meaning queen, and offered her the name "Adwoa", traditionally given to females born on Monday.

The exchange formed part of the Queen's engagement with healthcare workers and patients at the facility, where she observed how digital technology could make healthcare more accessible while helping patients save time and money.

The hospital visit was part of Queen Máxima's four-day working visit to Ghana, which focuses on improving the financial wellbeing of Ghanaians through accessible financial services and initiatives that protect households against unexpected expenses.