9 Digital Health Responses For Global COVID-19 Response
According to the last global tally of coronavirus infections around March 13, 2020, global coronavirus infections exceed 120,000 confirmed cases in 119 countries, with over 4.300 deaths from COVID-19. There are also more than 66,500 people who have fully recovered from this disease.
There is a list of digital health solutions that could be used (or are already being used) globally to contain the coronavirus. There are 4 areas covered here: COVID surveillance, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Organizations have pledged more than $8.3 billion in financial assistance to the WHO and low- and middle-income countries to support international COVID response. Donors include USAID, DFID, World Bank, and Gates Foundation
Digital Solutions for COVID Surveillance
1. Health Check
Health Check allows travelers to report on their symptoms through automated calls with an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system. Health agencies can then periodically and automatically monitor the symptoms and wellbeing of at-risk individuals.
2. Safiri Smart
Safiri Smart is a disease and epidemic surveillance and awareness system that uses USSD to alert Safaricom subscribers of disease and epidemics via their mobile phones. Users who travel to areas with ongoing epidemics will receive Kenyan Ministry of Health information as soon as they travel to the affected region.
Digital Solutions for COVID Prevention
3. HealthAlert
In South Africa, HealthAlert is a WhatsApp-based helpline to disseminate accurate and timely information about COVID-19 from the National Department of Health to the South African public. It includes a helpdesk with automated response and triage to answer users’ queries and provides real-time data insights for national policy decisions.
4. Interactive FM Radio
Interactive radio that pairs AM and FM radio broadcasts with mobile phone responses is a proven method for reaching rural and remote communities at scale in local languages, to increase knowledge, change attitudes and practices. Interactive radio interventions can answer listeners’ questions, offer information, allay fears, dispel myths, and survey listeners’ attitudes.
5. Inclusive eLearning
Inclusive eLearning meets individuals with intellectual disabilities at their level of engagement and supports prevention efforts by educating everyone on good hygiene practices. In Singapore, students are taking one day off a week in school to do eLearning.
Digital Solutions for COVID Diagnosis
6. Triage CheckUp
Did you know there are risk factors for coronavirus infection? For example, older adults are more at risk of coronavirus infection. A companion application, Diagnosis CheckUp is a self-reporting tool for the general public to assess their risk factors for coronavirus infection.
7. NoviGuide
NoviGuide is a decision support platform that transforms static guidelines into point-of-care decision trees for health systems to rapidly deploy guidance and monitor use. Its dashboard helps visualize clinician concern, an important indicator of disease spread in epidemics where Lesting is unavailable or limited.
8. OpenELIS Global
OpenELIS Global is an open-source enterprise-level laboratory information system tailored for LMIC public health laboratories that use HL7 open standards. OpenELIS lab information system can help with the receipt and tracking of potential COVID19 samples, assisting labs to process them effectively, and report back findings to clinicians.
Digital Solutions for COVID Treatment
9. WelTel
WelTel is a secure, web-based, communication platform that uses SMS for maximum reach and voice or video outreach when appropriate for integrated virtual care & patient engagement. Cases and their contacts can be connected to healthcare providers with data captured in a secure, consolidated database for real-time monitoring and epidemiological evaluation.
We hope that this helps you, whether you are a medical provider, company or just reading this for personal use, to respond better to COVID-19.