Africa: How entrepreneurs are harnessing technology to combat Covid-19 pandemic
"Here's how Africans are using tech to combat the coronavirus pandemic"
From a WhatsApp chatbot to a self-diagnosis tool, Africans are devising mobile tech solutions to contain the spread of the coronavirus amid fears it could have disastrous effects for the continent's most vulnerable...[E]xperts fear the respiratory disease could have a catastrophic impact on a continent with shaky healthcare systems and where soap and clean water for hand washing are out of reach for many...Governments, charities and entrepreneurs are racing to tap local knowledge to spread awareness of the virus simply and swiftly, and prevent it from reaching overcrowded, under-resourced slums...
In Nigeria, Adeosun's company Wellvis created the COVID-19 Triage Tool, a free online tool to help users self-assess their coronavirus risk category based on their symptoms and their exposure history...The South African government is using the popular WhatsApp chat service to run an interactive chatbot which can answer common queries about COVID-19 myths, symptoms, and treatment...
While many people are using apps and websites to educate themselves about coronavirus, women market sellers in Uganda are using an app to help people avoid spreading it. The Market Garden app lets the vendors safely sell and deliver fruits and vegetables to customers as restrictions to promote social distancing come into play. The app, which was launched in 2018, allows vendors to keep earning an income through the country's current two-week lockdown.