Groundbreaking breast cancer awareness programme launched in SA

In a significant step toward tackling breast cancer literacy and disparities in South Africa, Phithos Technologies – in partnership with the Breast Health Foundation (BHF) – has launched the world’s first-ever comprehensive Breast Cancer Awareness Programme using the innovative health-tech platform, Phylaxis.ai.

This pioneering initiative – supported by Novartis and recognised by the Alliance and Partnerships for Patient Innovation and Solutions (APPIS) as one of the top three winners of their 2024 Innovator Programme – is set to transform breast cancer awareness, screening and intervention across the country.

Funded by Novartis, APPIS was established in 2021 to address disparities in access to healthcare across Africa, the Asia Pacific and the Middle East. Under its Innovator Programme, APPIS partners with organisations to help scale up innovative patient-focused solutions.

The initiative comes at a critical time as breast cancer cases continue to rise in South Africa, with the National Cancer Registry reporting a doubling of cases from 2000 to 2020. Today, breast cancer accounts for 14% to 30% of all cancers in women, with significant disparities in screening and treatment access, particularly among marginalised communities.

About the BHF programme

The BHF is a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting breast cancer awareness, prevention and treatment efforts in South Africa. “The aim of the assessment and the BHF programme is to improve women’s knowledge of breast cancer, while also addressing misconceptions and superstitions that stop many women from seeking medical advice and care,” outlines Louise Turner, chief operations officer at the BHF.

The BHF will send out the team of patient navigators to clinics across KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Mpumalanga, where they will conduct assessments with patients. “But, of course, anyone in South Africa can use the assessment, at no cost to them,” highlights Turner.

Innovative technology driving early detection and preventative behaviour

Phithos Technologies, a South African-based research and predictive analytics company, developed Phylaxis.ai, which uniquely combines medical and data science to promote personalised, prospective and preventative healthcare for social good. This innovative platform will play a crucial role in driving the BHF’s mission by providing tailored health insights that promote early detection and intervention, ultimately aiming to reduce the breast cancer burden across South Africa.

Kabelo Sejaphala, programme director at Phithos Technologies, emphasises the programme’s transformative potential: “By leveraging a data-driven approach, we are breaking barriers in healthcare and breast cancer awareness. Our partnership with the Breast Health Foundation ensures more South African women, particularly in underserved regions, have access to critical early detection and prevention resources that can save lives.”

Empowering and tackling health disparities

By providing users with personalised reports, the Phylaxis.ai platform helps women better understand the breast cancer risks and early detection efforts. The technology identifies gaps in knowledge, addresses myths and provides crucial information about signs, symptoms and treatment options.

“This innovative programme represents a paradigm shift in breast cancer awareness and education. By leveraging personalised assessments, we’re able to deliver targeted educational content that addresses each individual’s specific knowledge gaps,” says Dr Bradley Max Segal, chief health AI officer of Phithos Technologies. “This approach has the potential to significantly improve early detection rates and overall breast health outcomes while providing insights into overall patterns of awareness to help define high-yield targeted interventions and effective programmes and policy updates.”

Lovkesh Arora, CEO of Phithos Technologies, reiterates: “Access to contextualised and personalised health information is fundamental to promoting better health at all levels of the socio-ecological hierarchy. We view this as an essential component of quality healthcare services, aligning with the ‘Right to Health’ principle. Our commitment to continuous innovation and technological evolution drives us to deliver affordable and high-quality preventative healthcare services, with the ultimate goal of reducing the national disease burden.”

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