Tech: Africa using tech to fight COVID-19

Highlights of tech:

• Mobile tech solutions help to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.
• A Nigerian company has designed the online COVID-19 triage tool, helps self-assessment of users.
• WhatsApp is bought into use by the Government for interactive chat sessions on coronavirus.
• Countries lacking proper healthcare and clean water at higher risk.

Africa has been making significant use of modern-day tech in battling the upsurge of the pandemic. Africans have been putting WhatsApp chatbot to good use as a self-diagnosis tool. Mobile tech solutions have been designed for the containment of the novel coronavirus. If left uncontained, it might wreak more havoc over the already vulnerable countries.

March 2020 numbers in Africa
Source: WeForum

Africa has a total of 26,899 cases as of 23rd April. According to WHO, the continent saw a jump of 43% in cases in a week. And that is truly worrying. 

(Also, read what the UN has to say about the World Hunger Index here!)

Numbers as of Cases in Africa as of 23rd April 2020
Source: WHO

Most of Africa’s problems can be solved with Africa-based solutions i.e keeping Africans in mind. As the usage of mobiles is increasing at an unpredictable pace in the continent, it only makes sense to develop new tech for phones. The use of mobile phones has doubled in the last four years and is set to quadruple by 2025.

The cumulative growth in numbers.
Source: WHO

Wellvis is a Nigeria-based online health information platform. They have recently come up with the COVID-19 triage tool. This tool is free and online and helps users self-assess their COVID-19 risk based on their symptoms and exposure. After their answers are recorded, they will be offered remote medical counsel or sent to the nearest medical facility. This tool has been a significant help in reducing the number of unnecessary calls to the disease control hotline number. 

WhatsApp chat service is being employed to run an interactive chatbot.  This answers queries about COVID-19 myths, symptoms, and treatment. The government’s been very diligent in its efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 into overcrowded and under-facilitated slums.

In Uganda, women sellers are using an app to help people avoid spreading it.

The Market Garden app enables vendors to safely conduct their business with customers. They are selling fruits and vegetables online as limitations to promote social distancing comes into play.

The app was launched in 2018. It allows vendors to keep earning an income as the country goes into lockdown. These women are also paid through the app to avoid spreading the virus through cash transactions. The cash transaction is being promoted throughout and the transaction limits have also been increased.

While mobile tech has been recognized as a fast and efficient tool, it isn’t for everyone. Not all can afford the extra cost of internet access. There is also a challenge of getting information out to every region in the country. Many regions have their own cultures and languages and it might be hard to reach everyone on time. Many areas don’t have access to radios and net connections. According to the CEO of Wellvis, the best solution for Africa will come from the country’s own companies who understand the context well.

Meanwhile, similar to the COVID-19 triage tool, the Indian government has also launched the Aarogya Setu app. This helps you with two things. one, it determines whether or not you have come in contact with any positive cases. Two, it helps the government take timely action in case some of your self-assessment answers hint at coronavirus infection.

Sourced from WeForum and WHO.