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reach52 and Medtronic Labs partner with Sanofi to combat Non-Communicable Diseases in Cambodia

  • Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) account for 71% (41 million) of global deaths every year, with the largest burden in low- and middle-income countries (31 million)
  • Yet health system services for the prevention, education, screening, and treatment of NCDs remain inaccessible to billions living in rural regions in low- and middle-income countries
  • Sanofi’s non-profit global health unit was established to expand access to healthcare in 40 of the world’s poorest countries
  • The unit is partnering with social enterprises reach52 and Medtronic Labs on an innovative, new initiative “SAKAM” to address poor NCD outcomes in Cambodia
  • “SAKAM” provides low-income communities with access to coaching, testing and medicines in an affordable monthly subscription service, enabled by the reach52 platform
  • “SAKAM” builds on the success of similar NCD models implemented by Medtronic Labs and reach52 in South and Southeast Asia

Full release:

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) account for 60% (35 million) of global deaths every year, with the largest burden in low- and middle-income countries (28 million). In Cambodia, people have a 1 in 4 chance of dying ‘prematurely’ between the ages of 30 and 70 from an NCD.

However, health system services for the prevention, education, screening, and treatment of NCDs remain inaccessible to billions of people living in rural regions in low- and middle-income countries. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported that over half the world’s population still lack access to the basic health services they need. The global health unit of Sanofi has joined with reach52 and Medtronic Labs to address this pressing NCD challenge in Cambodia.

reach52 has delivered health services in Siem Reap province in Cambodia since 2018 through its reach52 access platform and products. Leveraging population data captured by reach52 identified diabetes and hypertension as high-risk conditions in the province, and the discovered gaps in affordable, accessible care for the diseases.

Previously, Medtronic Labs had implemented “Prerna”, an integrated subscription model for diabetes and hypertension in India, and worked with reach52 to adapt this model into the impactful “Padayon” service in the Philippines through the reach52 platform. The opportunity to collaborate with Sanofi and evolve these models into a scalable, new initiative for diabetes and hypertension in Cambodia resulted in “SAKAM” (meaning keep progressing).

“SAKAM” is a fully integrated health solution for low-income, rural districts in Siem Reap, providing health education, screening and affordable medicines in one accessible subscription service. The service is enabled by the “offline-first” reach52 access platform and suite of products for low-connectivity, low-income markets.

Village Health Support Group workers (Community Health Workers) are equipped with “offline-first” reach52 access apps to engage and enroll target residents in community-based screening sessions for diabetes and hypertension, conducted by public health nurses trained as “Health Coaches”.

Enrolled members pay for an affordable monthly subscription service receiving coaching and testing (HbA1C, Blood Pressure and Rapid Blood Sugar) from the Health Coaches and Village Health Support Group workers equipped through the reach52 access platform, and affordable medicines delivered directly into villages through reach52’s network of agents and partners.

After the first 12 week “Intensive Service”, members can continue to receive support through a monthly “Maintenance Service”, receiving ongoing monthly testing, medicines, and support to sustain their lifestyle changes and keep their conditions under control.

The focus is on establishing a fully sustainable service through building the capacity of public health and community health workers, the use of reach52’s health tech platform, and an affordable monthly “patient pay” model. By task shifting to community health teams and equipping them with mHealth apps, the goal is to improve clinical outcomes much more effectively and efficiently than traditional healthcare models.

The Cambodia Heart Association and the EpiMaCT research team (Inserm U1094 IRD U270) from the University of Limoges have been recruited as academic partners to develop a robust study of SAKAM, evaluating how “offline-first” health technologies and community-based health teams can enable effective, scalable interventions for Diabetes and Hypertension in low-connectivity regions.

With significant, growing NCD prevalence worldwide and comparatively low investment in NCDs across global health, new collaborations and scalable platform initiatives such as SAKAM are essential to address the major NCD challenge across low- and middle-income countries.

The initiative launches on the ground in February 2022.

“The urgent NCD challenge in low- and middle-income countries won’t be addressed through conventional primary healthcare models. It’s essential that new healthtech platforms and community-based health teams are harnessed together to close the system gaps and ensure everyone on the planet can access the NCD services they need” Rich Bryson, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer, reach52

Footage:

Existing footage of relevant Cambodia communities available.

Photography and video footage from the first phase of SAKAM will be available at the start of February.

Additional information:

About Sanofi

We are an innovative global healthcare company, driven by one purpose: we chase the miracles of science to improve people’s lives. Our team, across some 100 countries, is dedicated to transforming the practice of medicine by working to turn the impossible into the possible. We provide potentially life-changing treatment options and life-saving vaccine protection to millions of people globally, while putting sustainability and social responsibility at the center of our ambitions.

Sanofi is listed on EURONEXT: SAN and NASDAQ: SNY

Medtronic LABS is a health systems innovator that develops community-based, tech-enabled solutions for underserved patients, families, and communities across the world. Our programs strengthen and extend health systems into local communities, delivering sustainable outcomes for underserved patients worldwide. Our current focus is transforming care for chronic diseases including hypertension, diabetes, mental health, and disabilities. By bridging hyper-local services with cutting-edge technology, we provide sustainable and localized healthcare solutions. Our team of 150 field operations experts, health coaches, clinicians, technologists, and designers support our growing portfolio of programs across 5 countries.

reach52 is a tech social enterprise delivering health services in markets others don’t reach through its reach52 access health platform and products. Community-based organisations and health workers are equipped as networks of agents with ‘offline-first’ mobile apps to manage and run the services, in partnership with governments and public health providers. reach52 partners with businesses (Pharma, Medtech, Consumer Health and Financial Services), Multilaterals and Civil Society Organisations, leveraging the reach52 platform to deliver repeatable, scalable health campaigns across low- and middle-income countries.