Health companies partner to create secure health records from birth
Durban — Parents can now effortlessly establish a lifelong medical record for their children right from birth.
This transformative initiative is made possible through a groundbreaking partnership between Ajuda, a personal digital health vault, and the National Metabolomics Platform (NMP), situated at the Centre for Human Metabolomics at North-West University.
Through this collaboration, newborn screening results will be directly uploaded to parents' secure digital vaults, laying the groundwork for comprehensive health records.
A joint press release stated that newborn screening is a practice that has been integral to child healthcare since the early 1960s, occurs typically within three days after a baby’s birth.
During this simple procedure, a healthcare professional takes a blood sample from the infant's heel, which is then sent to a laboratory for analysis. Notably, the NMP is the sole laboratory in South Africa that simultaneously screens for up to 22 medical conditions.
Dr Ilse Du Preez, Acting Director at the Centre for Human Metabolomics (NMP), stresses the importance of this screening: “Ensure your child's wellbeing is not left to chance. A simple and affordable test can make a big difference in your child's life.”
She highlights that just as parents routinely check their newborn's hearing and vision, it is crucial to consider early testing for genetic metabolic disorders.
Dr Du Preez said that this partnership is about more than just simple data storage- it streamlines the entire newborn screening process while enhancing accessibility and security of medical records and that parents will be empowered with information they need on their child’s health journey.
Also, Newborn Screening is just the initial phase of health assessments to follow in a child’s early life, and results from these ongoing screenings can also be added to Ajuda, thus building a robust framework for the child’s healthcare.
Newborn Screening tests for various inherited and genetic conditions that may not exhibit immediate symptoms but could lead to severe health complications if left undetected.
“These disorders can lead to harmful substance accumulation in the body, resulting in serious mental and physical disabilities that worsen over time,” said Du Preez.
For instance, congenital hypothyroidism is a condition that, if not identified early, can result in permanent intellectual disability.
Co-founder of Ajuda, Dr Liza Street said that while some disorders are manageable, neglecting early detection could mean irreversible damage if symptoms appear later in a child’s development.
“Timely intervention can help ensure your child’s health and wellbeing,” she said.
Ajuda's digital health vault serves as a central repository for all health-related documents, allowing parents to store comprehensive medical histories for their children. This digital platform not only alleviates the burden of managing physical medical records but also minimises the risk of losing vital information crucial for future healthcare decisions. Gaps in medical history can hinder effective treatment planning, but with Ajuda, parents can seamlessly compile unbroken health records throughout their child’s life.
If a baby’s attending physician changes during early years or if routines become overwhelming for new parents, the critical test results could easily be overlooked.
“By uploading these results to Ajuda, parents will maintain continuity of care through better communication of health information,” Dr Street said.
Eventually, the goal is for these results to automatically populate in the baby’s Ajuda vault, ensuring comprehensive oversight of the child’s health from the outset.
Ajuda co-founder, Taryn Uhlmann said the company simplifies the vital process of tracking health records.
“We are here to be your digital friend and help empower families with a lifetime record of their health.”
WhatsApp your views on this story at 071 485 7995.
Daily News