Professional diabetes support is just a WhatsApp chat away

Are you struggling to cope with your diabetes? Are you battling with your glucose levels and managing your diet? Diabetes technology company, Guidepost, has launched a new WhatsApp chatbot to assist you, connect you with your own personal diabetes educator and give you the tools and information you need to better manage your chronic condition daily.

Prof. David Segal, Chief Medical Officer of Guidepost, explains, “A diabetes educator is integral to the diabetes care team. To curb the devastating consequences of uncontrolled diabetes caused by continuously raised or fluctuating glucose levels, daily self-management is critical. Yet many South Africans still struggle daily to cope with their illness.”

If you live with diabetes, it is crucial to understand how diet, movement, medicine and lifestyle choices affect your diabetes so you can make adjustments, better manage your chronic condition and improve your quality of life. Guidepost CEO, Graham Rowe, says, “Our diabetes educators help you do this. They provide personalised information based on your unique challenges and needs. They also work with your data that they get from the chatbot so your levels can be monitored.”

Guidepost’s innovative AI-driven chatbot together with its diabetes educators are transforming the lives of thousands of South Africans with diabetes. “We have seen three-month average glucose levels in nearly 2,000 patients drop substantially, thereby reducing their risk of medical complications,” says Rowe.

Rowe emphasises that Guidepost’s chatbot and diabetes educators do not replace a healthcare team but complement the work of doctors and other specialists to benefit the patient. “We are closing the gap in diabetes care,” says Rowe. “Our service is free of charge for those whose medical aid offers this benefit, which many medical schemes in South Africa do.”

Prof Segal adds, “In partnership with thousands of doctors in the Guidepost network, we are continuing to build a network of professional nurses trained as diabetes educators to empower more and more people with diabetes through personalised support, information and education.”

With one in nine adults affected, South Africa has the highest prevalence of diabetes in Africa, according to the International Diabetes Federation. In this country, it is the number one killer of women and the second highest cause of death. Those with uncontrolled diabetes have significantly higher rates of medical complications.

One of the Guidepost educators, Sr. Nontsikelelo Nkomo said, “I am very happy to be part of this wonderful program. The patients are keen to learn, they speak freely about their condition and they engage with me and ask me a lot of questions which I am happy to answer.”

Diabetes patient Angela Reddy commented on her recent session with a Guidepost diabetes educator saying: “The educator was very good and was helpful and friendly too. She educated me on my insulin and medication. She advised me on food, what to eat and what to avoid, and also taught me about my blood sugar readings.”
Guidepost is led by a team of medical doctors, scientists, and AI specialists, all committed to finding solutions to help as many people living with diabetes as possible.