Unu Health is once again set to revolutionise personal healthcare management with the launch of its direct-to-consumer pathology solution. This innovative offering enables Unu App users to access 16 essential blood tests, including a free medical results consultation.
With Unu Health’s key objective of making healthcare accessible and convenient, this new offering will allow consumers access to 16 primary blood tests directly from their phone. The available tests include diagnostic and screening panels for HIV – CD4 Count and Viral Load, diabetes panel, hyperlipemia, hypertension and anaemia.
By facilitating early detection of potential health issues, users can make informed decisions and implement lifestyle changes promptly, averting catastrophic consequences. Two thirds of South Africans are prediabetic and unaware of this, as a result diabetes is the number 1 reason for death of women in South Africa and the leading cause of amputations. (South Africa Demographic and Health Survey (SADHS) | Statistics South Africa). Unu’s offering now allows anyone in South Africa to have access to quality blood tests through their partnership with one of South Africa’s leading pathology laboratories.
“Our goal at Unu Health is to equalize healthcare access,” says Tania Joffe, founder of Unu Health. “Our direct-to-consumer offering will allow people to take proactive steps in managing their health”, adds Joffe.
Early detection of diseases significantly improves treatment outcomes and can prevent conditions from escalating. For instance, men and women with diabetes at age 45 are expected to live 7.5 and 3.9 fewer years respectively than those without (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36780956/). Of the 4.2 million people estimated to live with diabetes, 45% are unaware.
The experience regarding hypertension is far worse, with 45% of men and 48% of women in South Africa affected by hypertension (140/90 BP) with only 19% and 29% respectively being aware. (https://spotlightnsp.co.za) Hypertension is responsible for 1 in every 2 strokes and 2 in every 5 heart attacks in South Africa.
“While chronic lifestyle related diseases are on the rise, we hope that making quality blood tests conveniently available, we empower people to own their wellbeing,” says Joffe. “Other tests also available include pregnancy tests, as well as general male and female screening tests that everyone should do after the age of 45”, adds Joffe.
The process is simple – users can access the zero-rated app, order a blood test, locate their nearest Ampath lab, have bloods taken and access their results within 48 hours via the app.
By offering accessible and affordable pathology services, Unu Health addresses the common regret of I wish I had known sooner. Non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, account for 37% of the deaths in sub-Saharan Africa and 50% of all hospital admissions. [1] With this proactive approach, individuals can now take charge of their health, make informed decisions, and implement necessary lifestyle adjustments before conditions become critical.
Unu Health’s new pathology offering is poised to transform the healthcare landscape by prioritising early detection, personal empowerment, and system efficiency.
