With Covid-19, commonly referred to as the coronavirus, spreading to the Africa continent, there’s a growing need for medical supplies to be increased around the country. With a national state of disaster declared by President Cyril Ramaphosa, now is the time to act and be prepared for large amounts of people falling ill with the highly infectious virus. With the right medical supplies and equipment, many lives can be saved.
Indeed, it wasn’t long before Gift of the Givers started a fundraising campaign to help hospitals in South Africa. Within 24 hours of launching their campaign, R41,000 was raised for essential medical supplies. This includes protective equipment for medical professionals, ventilators for sick patients and other supplies that are going to run out as a result of Covid-19.
However, the concern was ensuring that the right areas receive the help they need as demand for medical care grows. This is when the Vula app stepped in to help those on the frontline against the virus.
Vula E-Referral App Leading the Way
The task of finding healthcare workers and hospitals in need around South Africa was going to be difficult. It was going to be up to technology to lead the way. With technological innovation growing in the country, you can access almost everything on the internet. From social media and banking to online shopping, there has to be a way for medical supplies to be distributed. Of course, there was and this was in the form of the Vula E-Referral app.
The Vula app was launched in 2014 and it has been a useful database for connecting medical professionals from all over South Africa. The purpose was originally to connect healthcare works with specialists, with the aim of speeding up referrals for treatment. Indeed, there are over 11,000 medical professionals using the network.
The app has now joined in with the campaign and healthcare works will be able to use it for coronavirus assistance when an outbreak begins to take hold. They will be able to seek advice from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases and arrange help with medical supplies if necessary.
Rural Areas Will Receive More Help
There’s no doubt that metropolitan areas will receive more help during the spread of Covid-19. But the Vula app can help those in more rural areas get the treatment that they need. With advice at the ready, medical professionals can assist patients with their symptoms and this can reduce the risk of spreading the virus.
Already healthcare workers have said that they have learned a lot from the Vula app. It uses less data than WhatsApp and it’s cost-efficient at around R4 for 120 referrals during the month. While the reach of Covid-19 is not yet clear, this app can help medical professionals in South Africa prepare for the worst. With help on demand, patients can receive better care and the country can flatten the curve before it begins.
Key Takeaways:
- The Vula E-Referral App is helping during Covid-19.
- Supplying medical workers with referrals and expert advice.
- Teaming up with Gift of the Givers for medical supplies.
- More support for rural areas during coronavirus.
