November 04,2009

Telemedicine Reference Centre Bangladesh and the Entra Health System USA on Tuesday launched a mobile phone-based intensive diabetes management service under the brand-name-amcare.

The minister for information, Abul Kalam Azad, launched the service at a programme at Sonargaon hotel. The Bangladesh Diabetic Association president, AK Azad Khan, acting deputy chief of the US mission in Dhaka, Jon Danillowicz, and deputy managing director of Prime Bank Mehmood Husain also spoke at the programme chaired by national professor MR Khan.

Initially, people residing in Dhaka, Chittgong and Sylhet cities will come under the service coverage at a monthly charge ranging from Tk 600 to Tk 1,250, they said adding that the service would be extended across the country in phases.

The clients will get fulltime monitoring of their blood sugar level by a bluetooth glucometre attached with their mobile phones. Besides providing service for diabetes patients the companies have plans to provide similar service for cardiac patents, said the company managing director Sikder M Zakir.

Through the service system the patients’ blood glucose readings will be transferred to its diabetes at the call center regularly and the patients and their relatives would be alerted at any abnormal reading. If immediate care was needed, the call center will arrange an appointment with endocrinologist for treatment, Zakir said.

Patients who use non-bluetooth glucometer would need to send the readings to diabetes portal using a customized SMS application, he added.

Depending on client pattern, amcare would also provide home care services featuring regular HbA1c tests, annual lipid profile, annual serum ALT and urine micro-albumin test, annual eye examination, diabetes foot care, blood pressure monitoring, dietician’s advice, and provide exercise guideline.

The members will need to pay Tk 1,000 for activating the membership and will have to buy a blue-tooth glucometer at the cost of Tk 45,000.

Source: Newage