7 apps saving lives in Africa

1. Matibabu
Malaria is Africa’s second biggest killer after HIV/Aids, with the time it takes to diagnose the disease given as one of the reasons Malaria-related deaths are still high. Instead of using the old and slower method of taking blood samples to diagnose the disease, Matibabu uses red LED and a light sensor. All users need to do is insert their finger into a device that’s attached to a smartphone. “Light is triggered into the skin to reach the red blood cells and used to discover the state of the red blood cells to determine malaria status,” explains Matatubi’s lead developer Josiah Kavuma, from Uganda.

2. Ubenwa

Birth asphyxia, which is the lack of oxygen to the brain before, during and after birth, kills around 1.2 million infants in Africa annually. It’s also one of the top 3 killers of infants on the continent, while those who survive it can be left with severe life-long disabilities like cerebral palsy, deafness and paralysis. Developed in Nigeria, Ubenwa uses speech processing tech to monitor and analyse infants’ cries to determine if they’re experiencing asphyxia.

3. Neopenda

Nearly 3 million babies die in their first month of life every year, with 98% of the deaths occurring in the developing world. Neopenda is a global tech kick-starter that wants to “give children the life they deserve.” Neopenda is for critically ill newborns being cared for in hospitals in low-resource countries. The app uses sensors that measure heart rate, respiratory rate, blood oxygen saturation, and temperature. The low-power sensors use rechargeable batteries, and wirelessly transmit data to a central monitor to alert nurses when a newborn isn’t breathing properly. It has already been rolled out in Uganda.

4. Bisa Health

Bisa means ask in Ghana’s Twi language. The app allows for direct interaction between patients and medical professionals like a general practitioner, optometrist, dietician and paediatrician, without being physically present for the consultation. According to its developers, “This is an advantage to people who need medical care and advice but are not able to visit the hospital for various reasons like poverty, long queues at the hospital and the fear of stigmatisation.” Bisa also provides information on common diseases and how to control the spread of diseases during outbreaks.

5. iAfya

Available in Swahili and English, the Kenyan app is a patient education tool. It gives users access to health resources from any location and connects them to community health workers in their area. Features include sections on healthy living, basic first aid tips, a mother and child portal and SMS info service.

6. Kids First Aid
Winner of the 2013 MTN Business App award in South Africa, Kids First Aid gives access to information with step-by-step instructions on how to deal with common medical emergencies. Features include a video tutorial on CPR, information about hospitals around a user’s location and a list of emergency numbers that can be called directly from the app. Emergencies covered include choking, drowning, poisoning, fractures and dislocations.

7.mRamadan

The app helps diabetic believers in Senegal, where 92 percent of the population in Muslim, to fast safely during Ramadan by providing information on managing the illness while also fasting. mRamadan generates messages that include reminders for users to drink a litre of water each morning before beginning the fast, a list of food to avoid eating during the fasting period, as well as information on how to adapt the intake of medicine while fasting.