Tigo Tanzania was recently honoured with a certificate of appreciation from the National Kidney Foundation for its immeasurable support towards the development of a Kidney Detection SMS application service that will enable millions of Tanzanians to know the status of their kidneys to allow for early treatment. The Award handing over ceremony took place in Arusha at an event that was attended by Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda along with other health stakeholders last week.
The development of this new Kidney Detection SMS application service was made possible through the partnership between Tigo Tanzania, The National Kidney Foundation and Uhuruone-Selcom Broadband Limited: caring parties joining forces in order to sensitize the public on the importance of knowing their kidney’s status so as to facilitate early treatment. As a result of this service, millions of Tanzania will be provided with a medical service enabling them to know the status of their kidneys in the comfort of their own homes; liaising closely with doctors in local hospitals to ease the strenuous process associated with medical appointments and checkups.
Tigo General Manager, Diego Gutierrez said, “Tigo Tanzania has always strived to be a pioneer in the telecom industry through provision of innovative products and services; this is why we are extremely proud to be the first operator to invite our customers to test the status of their kidneys through the use of a Tigo line. Within the mobile health sector, it is through products such as Tigo bima, where customers are covered up to 30 days of hospitalization that Tigo is continuing to invest in Tanzania as a good corporate citizen, therefore creating higher living standards for all.”
Dr Linda Ezekiel, founder of the National Kidney Foundation said, “Kidney disease is now a threat in Tanzania. Among 3,500 patients who were tested in 2011 in Dar es Salaam, 1,200 were found with kidney ailment. Kidney disease is disturbing many people in the world and it is hard to detect. Its symptoms however include urinary problems and body swelling. The major challenge facing us today is not getting accurate statistics about the disease that cannot immediately be detected even among hospitalized patients. Along with the challenges, I urge the public to have the culture of testing their health so as to know the problem beforehand in order to get the correct treatment. There is now no need to fear check-ups since the Government is training specialists all over the country, and the goal is that by 2015 all the kidney operations would be conducted in Tanzania. At the meantime the Government is fully paying surgery cost for patients referred to India and for all the medication afterwards.”
To use this service one needs to send a text message to 15021 with the key word FIGO after which one will receive a series of questions enquiring them of their medical status.
