Breaking down barriers to healthcare access in Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa

In an ideal world, everyone would have access to quality and affordable healthcare, wherever they are and whenever they need it. Yet, despite strides made in medical care, many are left behind. 

Having lived and worked in Africa, the United States, China and now in Singapore, Ms Ruth Kuguru, executive director of communications and engagement for Novartis Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, has observed firsthand some of the challenges faced by patients and caregivers when it comes to the disparity in healthcare, as well as gaps in the healthcare ecosystem that prevent equal access. 

She said: “During the pandemic, we clearly saw the impact that lack of access to even the most basic of care can have on the health of individuals, as well as society as a whole. For people living in Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, where barriers to accessing healthcare are diverse and complex, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.”

Overcoming these obstacles to healthcare is the core mission of the Alliance and Partnerships for Patient Innovation and Solutions (APPIS) platform, organised and funded by global healthcare company Novartis. Established in 2021, APPIS brings together patient groups and stakeholders from across the healthcare sector. 

“Patient groups play a critical role when it comes to improving patient outcomes. They are passionate in raising awareness and advocating for healthcare accessibility, which is why partnering with them is at the heart of the APPIS platform,” explained Ms Kuguru. 

Healthcare access is driven by several factors, such as the availability of services or resources for patients to support their care, affordability of treatment, and acceptability of the treatment by the patient. 

BUILDING A COMMUNITY TO DRIVE CHANGE 

Ms Kuguru was one of the speakers at the APPIS 2023 Summit, which took place on Mar 20 and 21. Over 1,400 patient leaders and stakeholders from the healthcare sector across more than 60 countries signed up for the virtual event.

When the APPIS community was first formed, the initial meeting involved just a few hundred stakeholders. But the success of the initial discussions ignited a desire among those involved to expand its reach and spark further change.

Today, the APPIS community – comprising people from patient organisations, policy influencers, physicians, academics and digital innovators – is more than 2,000-strong.

Mr Rod Padua, strategic advisor for the APPIS 2023 Summit, chair of the Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Advocates Network and president of Touched By Max Philippines, said: “During the pandemic, we saw examples of how collaboration across the healthcare community resulted in solutions for pressing issues. These ranged from health literacy campaigns to data and digital solutions that aided the tracking, manufacturing and delivery of vaccines and treatments for COVID-19. By coming together to share expertise and knowledge, we were able to mobilise in a way we hadn’t previously been able to.”

TACKLING KEY HEALTHCARE CHALLENGES 

This year, APPIS focused on addressing critical challenges and opportunities surrounding three themes: Health literacy, health policy shaping, and digital health and communications​.

The programme was developed by a nine-member council comprising Ms Kuguru, Mr Padua, Mr Adam Chee, chief of Smart Health Leadership Centre at the National University of Singapore; Mr Stanley Li, founder and chairman of DXY.cn; Ms Julie Cini, founder and CEO of Spinal Muscular Atrophy Australia; Ms Bahija Gouimi, Middle East and Africa representative of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Advocates Network; Ms Carmen Auste, senior vice-president of Cancer Coalition Philippines and CEO of Cancer Warriors Foundation Philippines; Mr Sungki Kim, president of Korea Psoriasis Association; and Ms Mahira El Sayed, professor of dermatology and venereology at Ain Shams University and board member of International Psoriasis Council. 

“Council members provide guidance, insights and perspectives, and support patient communities and healthcare stakeholders in establishing connections and strengthening partnerships,” said Mr Padua. 

It was with these objectives in mind that Ms Cini hosted a panel discussion with patient advocates at the APPIS Summit, where she shared how the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Australia organisation leveraged real-world evidence to find practical solutions for people with spinal muscular atrophy who were facing unmet needs. 

“Data from real-world evidence plays an important role in understanding how patient individuality and habits impact health outcomes,” she said. “Such insights, in turn, can help policymakers develop more impactful and long-lasting policies that cater to the unique needs of patients.”

Other topics discussed at the summit included breaking down barriers in health literacy and how patient groups can harness digital trends to transform the patient journey. 

In today’s digital age, more patients are turning to digital channels and social media platforms to make decisions about their care. Ms Corinne Ellsworth-Beaumont, founder and CEO of Know Your Lemons Foundation, shared how policymakers and patient groups can create compelling content to drive the impact of disease awareness campaigns. Using the familiar household fruit as a visual analogy for breasts to convey information about breast cancer, its #KnowYourLemons Worldwide Breast Cancer campaign reached 1.5 billion people online. 

CREATING IMPACTFUL SOLUTIONS

While the summit may have concluded, the partnerships developed will go on to benefit patients through initiatives such as the APPIS Innovator Program, APPISx and the APPIS Resource Centre. 

Last year’s winner of the APPIS Innovator Program, ICanServe Foundation, for instance, has received funding, mentoring and professional healthcare coaching to help scale its Ating Dibdibin (Take Your Breast Care to Heart) initiative.

The Filipino community-based initiative advocates for the early detection of breast cancer, and is leveraging support from the APPIS Innovator Program to develop the data and digital infrastructure of its breast cancer control programme in collaboration with the local government.

The APPIS journey also continues with APPISx, which involves market-based meetings throughout the year for patient groups and the broader healthcare community to address topics of local importance that will impact patient outcomes and experiences in each respective market. This year, APPISx events commenced in Taiwan, Korea, India, Thailand, South Africa, Japan and several countries in the Middle East. 

Ms Kuguru emphasised that there is a role for everyone to play in building a healthier future, which is only possible if the healthcare community works together towards a common goal. 

“Strong partnerships underpin our success in improving patient outcomes. Our hope is that APPIS inspires important discussions across many countries, and that those discussions ultimately catalyse innovative ideas, create solutions and drive action to make a positive difference in patients’ lives,” she said.

Learn how APPIS is driving action to overcome barriers and accelerate healthcare access for patients in the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa.