Covid-19 Health Impact
Challenge
The outbreak and spread of the Coronavirus in South Africa was such that even the best efforts to contain it could not prevent its sweeping spread. Compounding the dilemma for many South Africans was the fact that waiting in queues in order to receive test results added to the risk of infection and spread of the virus. Not to mention the airtime expense and time spent on hold in trying to get through to obtain results via phone, an option not viable for many South Africans. A swifter and more seamless solution was required.
Response
GovChat formulated a solution co-created with the South African Department of Health, to respond to the growing crises that Covid-19 represented. Citizens were able to use GovChat their mobile phones in order to get information regarding Covid-19 symptoms and hygiene protocols. They were also able to locate a testing facility that was closest to them, as well as request their test results once they had been tested. These results were then processed in a safe, secure and private manner and sent in a digital format.
Results
The speed of GovChat’s digitisation of Covid-19 information and test results, as well as the scale it was able to achieve, was able to make a big difference in South Africa’s response to the pandemic. GovChat was able to process over 365,000 Covid-19 test results from both public as well as private testing centres and laboratories across the country. These results further showcase and demonstrate the capability of GovChat to reduce pressure on physical infrastructure and resource, as well as end queuing for citizens.