GLASGOW researchers are leading the way with a new ‘WhatsApp rehab’ project helping patients with neurological conditions.

The Glasgow Caledonian University team is supporting healthcare professionals in Ghana in West Africa in telerehabilitation, which uses the internet and technology to provide services to people remotely in their homes.

There are only 10 neurologists in the whole of Ghana, which has a population of around 33 million people. (The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital alone in Glasgow has 37.) Many people, especially those in rural communities, receive little or no rehabilitation if they suffer a stroke, spinal injury, Parkinson’s disease or cerebral palsy.

Professor in allied health science Lorna Paul and senior lecturer in occupational therapy Dr Katie Thomson, from the university’s Research Centre for Health (ReaCH), recently visited Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi to meet Professor Fred Steve Sarfo.

Dr Thomson said: “Sometimes people have to travel long distances for rehabilitation and when they get there, there can be long queues. Telerehab saves the journey, the cost, the time and queuing up.

“Access to smartphones isn’t universal in Ghana however and the cost of data packages can be expensive. Internet access is patchy, particularly in rural areas. WhatsApp seemed to be the most accepted by patient and staff groups as the best platform for rehab.”

Professor Sarfo said: “This need has arisen because we have a lot of patients with disabilities, and we have very few trained hands to be able to offer rehabilitation services. We think telerehabilitation provides us with an excellent avenue to reach out to our patients.”