Ministry of Health launches app for communities to send alerts about COVID-19 suspects

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Health has launched a mobile app which can be used by people who develop symptoms of the coronavirus (COVID-19) or suspected to be infected to alert the surveillance officials in the communities.

The app dubbed ‘Call The Clinic’ short coded as MOH – CTC uses digital maps to locate a patient and can be used to make both video and voice calls whereby the user will be able to get notifications from the ministry regarding tips on staying safe and updates on the status of samples sent in for testing.

This app comes in amidst complaints by suspects and contacts of people who test positive for the disease about the delay by MOH’s surveillance officials to reach them and yet when they finally pick samples many times people are not alerted about the status of their tests something that stems anxiety.

With the app, Dr Diana Atwiine, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry said the app comes in handy to solve such challenges.

“In the coming days, we should be more vigilant on fighting the spread of coronavirus. With the application, we will be able to provide timely medical information and immediate action which will also let us get back to our normal routines faster”.

Apart from being able to be traced easily, users of the app which is downloadable from playstore will also be getting updates on daily test results released by the ministry or any other information on the disease published whereby even other people in the community can send in anonymous alerts about any suspects in the community.

While he doesn’t reveal how much it cost them to develop the app, Vicent Bagiire, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance said they used part of the 6 billion Shillings they were allocated for the COVID-19 fight to contract the developers of the app, CTI Africa who are a team of local ICT experts.

He said these funds are still available for those with innovative ideas on how they can use technologies to halt further spread of COVID-19 with currently more than 300 people testing positive.

He said a call has been issued to innovators to apply for grants to come up with solutions which can be used in this season and post COVID.

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