Improving heart and diabetes care in Africa – The CREATE project update
In March, Leicester Diabetes Centre (LDC)’s Professor Samuel Seidu visited Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana for a key project meeting of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Global Health Research Group on Collaborative Care for Cardiometabolic Disease in Africa (CREATE). This gathering marked an important milestone in the project’s journey towards transforming care for people living with cardiometabolic diseases in Ghana, Kenya, and Mozambique.
Launched in January 2023, CREATE is developing a chronic care model tailored to improve outcomes for adults with conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. In many parts of Africa, healthcare systems have traditionally focused on infectious diseases, leaving a gap in managing non-communicable diseases. CREATE aims to fill this gap by designing, implementing, and evaluating an integrated, patient-centred model of care.
Led by the University of Leicester and Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, this collaborative initiative brings together researchers, healthcare professionals, and patients from Ghana, Mozambique, Kenya, and the UK. The project’s focus extends beyond treatment, incorporating training and capacity building to develop future research leaders in sub-Saharan Africa and strengthening community engagement to ensure sustainable healthcare improvements.
At the March meeting, representatives from all participating countries reviewed project outcomes, shared results from feasibility studies, and discussed challenges and lessons learned. A significant part of the discussion centred on the importance of community involvement, with the Ghana team showcasing how meaningful engagement can drive better health outcomes.
Dr Roberta Lamptey, Principal Investigator for CREATE in Ghana, highlighted how tailored community engagement strategies have proven effective, explaining: “There is strength in the community, and when engaged in the right way, it leads to improved outcomes. Community engagement is not just a theory; when done right, by tailoring it to the community’s needs, it can drive real change.”
A key component of CREATE’s approach is structured self-management education. The project equips patients with the knowledge and tools to manage their conditions effectively, integrating strategies such as dance, diet, exercise, and medication. By empowering individuals, CREATE seeks to improve long-term health outcomes and shift the focus from reactive to proactive healthcare management.
Professor Samuel Seidu, Principal Investigator for CREATE in the UK, commended the research teams for their dedication and progress, adding: “It was great to attend the meeting in Ghana and hear from all the teams involved in this important project. We have made significant progress, and I’m excited about the next phase, which moves us closer to improving healthcare for people in Ghana, Mozambique, and Kenya.”
The meeting also featured presentations from community champions involved in the Ghana feasibility study. They shared their experiences, successes, and challenges, reinforcing the project’s emphasis on community-based engagement and real-world impact.
As CREATE enters its next phase, the focus shifts to conducting a randomised controlled trial in each participating country. This crucial step will determine whether the new healthcare model effectively improves health outcomes and risk factor control for people living with cardiometabolic diseases. The findings will help shape the future of healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa, contributing to lasting, sustainable change.