Application to help surgeons, assistants and supervisors in monitoring patients and collecting and analyzing information on surgical outcomes and performance about TT (Trachomatous Trichiasis)
Main beneficiary countries:Nigeria - Pakistan - Guinea - Benin - Senegal - Ethiopia
Sightsavers
Sightsavers is an International Non-Governmental Organization founded in 1950 and granted Royal Status by The Queen in 1958. Its vision is of a world where avoidable blindness is eliminated, and people with disabilities have the same rights as everyone else. They work in more than 30 countries worldwide (focusing on Africa and Asia) with local, regional, national and international partners and governments. With their help, they distribute treatments to prevent disease, carry out eye operations, advocate for disability rights and improve health services.
Sector: Organizational: Communities, public authorities, NGOs, associations, foundations, etc.
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Healthcare themes targeted
Stage of development:
Area where initiative is utilised
Initiative start date
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Economic model(s)
Trachoma is the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness, and is part of a group of conditions known as neglected tropical diseases (often referred to as NTDs). The disease thrives where there are water shortages, poor sanitation and infestations of flies. Trachoma is caused by repeated infection with bacteria known as ‘chlamydia trachomatis’, and it spreads through contact with infected flies and via hands, clothes or bedding that have been in contact with an infected person.
Over time the infection causes scarring to the eyelid that pulls the eyelashes inward, so with every blink they scrape against the eye. This advanced form of trachoma is called trachomatous trichiasis (TT), and the pain can be so intense that many people resort to pulling out their eyelashes to reduce the agony of blinking. Over time, if left untreated, TT can lead to blindness.
The World Health Organization’s trachoma elimination strategy is summarized by the acronym SAFE, which means Surgery for advanced disease, Antibiotics to clear infection, Facial cleanliness and Environmental improvement to reduce transmission. The number of people requiring management for TT was estimated by the World Health Organization in 2019 to be 2.5 million. TT operations are generally conducted in remote areas, which can make it challenging to conduct follow-up visits and analyze surgical outcomes.
There are three major challenges in TT outreach which the TT Tracker addresses. The first is ensuring patient follow-up, especially at 3-6 months. Follow-up visits usually take place in villages where previously operated patients live, and not where the rural outreach camp was held. It has been historically challenging for country programs to know when each patient needs a follow-up visit and where they are, and to organize visits accordingly. The second challenge is understanding surgeon strengths and weaknesses. Audits are performed on some surgeons, but there is no consistently easy way to track their performance and know who needs additional supervision or training, or who should be promoted. Finally, paper data collection in very rural environments makes thorough and efficient reporting from field activities very challenging. The TT Tracker helps with data completeness and timeliness.
Sightsavers has developed the application TT Tracker to help with these challenges. The TT Tracker is used as a reporting and programme management tool within already funded country trachoma elimination programs. This tool helps teams at national, regional, district and outreach level to collect, manage and use their program data.
Surgical teams enter standardized patient information into electronic forms (mobile or tablet) at each stage in the patient’s journey:
The TT Tracker uses the information collected by surgeons and their assistants to generate useful real-time reports for supervisors at all levels:
The application was built using CommCare, Metabase, Heroku and Mailgun technologies. The mobile app, online reports and training/support materials are available in English and French. All data are owned by Ministries of Health and the highest level of data privacy rules are put in place.
The TT Tracker is not just the technology but a full package including Data Manager support (configuration, data quality checks, reporting needs, preparation for outreach), the standard reports package (Surgery and Follow-up Completion, Outcome Assessments and Session Activities, Data Quality Assessment, Due for Follow-up Lists, Surgeon Performance Reports), data storage through a secure online platform, training, and user manuals.
Health professional training - Patient monitoring and medical data
18445 Number of beneficiaries since launch
120 Number of users per Month
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Organizational: Communities, public authorities, NGOs, associations, foundations, etc.
Organizational: Communities, public authorities, NGOs, associations, foundations, etc.
Organizational: Communities, public authorities, NGOs, associations, foundations, etc.
Industrial: Startups, enterprises, etc.
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