Health Apps Ghana
You
might know this but if not here it goes. I procrastinate like crazy. My
procrastination led me to this super awesome blog post about drones. Usually
when someone talks about drones I think of basic rich white boys and their
expensive toys who suddenly think they are photographers. Not throwing any
shade there I promise. However, here scientists from Aberystwyth University are
using drones to find small hard to find water bodies in which mosquitoes use to
breed. This is a way they are trying to combat malaria in Zanzibar. Once found
the location is treated with a larvicide to kill the larvae produced by the
mosquito, managing the number of mosquitos in the area. When I think of
technology in science, I think of microscopes. So, this just blew my mind and
made me think what other awesome ways is technology being used in science. Okay
not just in science, but in healthcare in Ghana.
As a
basic bitch who struggles to use a non-Apple product, apps are the furthest I
can get into technology without getting confused. At the end of the day
everyone has a smartphone, literally everyone! STORYTIME I can remember going
to my dad’s village (Kpota) and even though many people lived in huts and only
a couple of houses have electricity, everyone had a phone which they would
either charge at the shop or travel to the closest town (Akatsi or Dzodze) to
charge their phones. Why? Because it’s the simplest way to stay connected! Apps
can therefore be used by people who have no other technology, providing
millions with health information.
1)
Sex is such a taboo topic. It still
baffles me that my 22 year old friends are allowed to have their partners stay
in their room when they aren’t married! In my parents’ house that would never
be allowed. Even my husband will only be allowed to sleep in the guest room
ALONE. So, how do you bring up sexual health with your doctor when you are
scared, when you feel embarrassed etc. Verifie
is an amazing app where you can get all the sexual health tips you want. It
works by finding health facilities close by where you can just walk in for an
appointment, get tested and get your results through your app. You can then use
to show partners your profile, hopefully free of STIs!
2)
The Mobile Midwife
app delivers time-sensitive text messages or voicemails to pregnant women and
new mothers, reminding them about upcoming appointments, informing them about
what symptoms to expect and sharing self-care tips on nutrition and hygiene. The voicemails can be translated into
their own language, and when many of these mums are illiterate that is very
important. It is also said to increase male involvement in the pregnancies.
3) The Ghana National Blood
Service faced a huge challenge of low blood stock in 2017 which is a serious worry! For a sustainable
blood stock, 1% of the population need to donate on regular basis.
Surely that is achievable? Wala means
Life in the Ghanaian GA language. Wala app allows the National Blood Service to educate the public on
the importance of voluntary blood donation and help demystify the myths
surrounding it such as blood
taken from donors end in the hands of people who use it for money rituals, and the fear
that donors might contract a disease during the donation process. The App
notifies users about blood donation events within their localities and allow
users share photos on social media to raise awareness on blood donation.
4)
GoPharma aims to support technicians in rural areas to gain
advice from trained pharmacists in the city, allowing patients to receive
expert advice locally. The technician
can send a photo of a prescription to a pharmacist through the app who can
issue the drug without being present.
5) There are many people who struggle to go to
the hospital for many reasons. STORYTIME. Growing up my mum has mostly been ill
so going to the hospital was normal. We would go to 37 Military Hospital or
Korle-Bu Hospital and gosh were the queues ridiculously long, waiting was
tiring and loud, and sometimes you would be asked to come back the next day as
the doctors were done for the day. This made my mum only go to the hospital
when it was REALLY REALLY needed. There are many other reasons such as poverty,
the fear of stigmatization (especially for people who have symptomps of STDs) etc etc.
So that allows users to book appointments with
doctors via a mobile app is really going in Ghana. There are a few. Kenko Doctor which is used to book
appointments and where the doctor can also use the platform to update a
patient’s medical records, getting rid of those massive medical files and
easing the digital transformation for doctors. Docta Ghana and Bisa
can both be used in the comfort of your home where you can talk to a doctor via
video.
Out of all of them I absolutely love the idea of Verifie. If you know any awesome healthapps you wanna share let me know, I'm interested!
-https://www.myjoyonline.com/lifestyle/2018/February-22nd/more-blood-national-blood-service-appeals-for-donors.php
‘More blood’: National Blood
Service appeals for donors
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