A United Nations agency has launched a new Covid-19 Self-Diagnostic Application & Predictive Modelling Dashboard.
This digital tool aims to help South Africans self-assess their Covid-19 symptoms as well as aid government efforts to pinpoint virus hotspots.
The project came about after the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR); the Global Surgery Foundation; the Rali and Makentse Mampeule Foundation; the University of Cape Town Division of Global Surgery; and Slalom - a Global Technology Company joined forces to curb the spread.
The tool will allow the Department of Health to: Control the spread of Covid-19 via focused identification and testing; focus limited Covid-19 testing and treatment resources effectively; predict new in-country spread for early interventions and identify “safe zones” in which the economy can be kickstarted.
It is easily accessible to all South Africans and requires low data bandwidth. It is also available in local languages.
The launch comes as the World Health Organization warns that the death toll on the continent could reach 190,000.
Those concerned about privacy issues can be assured that this self-diagnostic tool collects data that is fully anonymous.
It allows users to assess symptoms and then provides guidance on the course of action that should be taken next. It also identifies potential hotspots and communities at risk.
Thanks to the tool, health policy leaders will now be able to make critical and accurate decisions, including prioritising resource allocations.
The application will soon be rolled out to other African countries in the upcoming months. It will also help control the second and third waves of COVID-19 by providing accurate aggregated data to help inform policy decisions.
The web application can be accessed free of charge at: