Eromosele Abiodun
An ICT firm, West Blue Consulting, has unveiled an Epidemic Response Hub on behalf of the Ekiti State government.
The company in a statement said the hub is a public health surveillance tool that monitors disease outbreak and disseminates geospatial information to both policy makers and the general public, with the aim of curbing the spread of diseases.
Sponsored by the Government of Ekiti State to combat the spread of the pandemic, the platform enables real time capture, storage and analysis of public health data such as the location and current occupancy rates of medical facilities, interactive maps showing exactly where outbreaks have occurred, as well as real-time contact tracing.
The hub was launched by the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, at the height of the outbreak and has since enabled public health officials in the state to successfully monitor and manage the spread of the virus in the state and its environs, while enabling the citizens and residents to access critical healthcare information.
The company added in a statement: “First-of-its-kind digital hub developed to help curb spread of disease in West Africa. Platform offers unique interactivity between state officials and the general public
“Through the platform, which is accessible via internet enabled device, members of the public can report suspected cases, as well as self-diagnose using the hub’s self-assessment tool.
“It also includes a gateway through which users can make donations in support of humanitarian causes.”
Following the roll-out of the Epidemic Response Hub, the Founder of West Blue Consulting, Valentina Mintah, said: “serving the public good has been a core value of West Blue Consulting since its inception in 2012 and we are proud to be supporting Ekiti State Government in its fight against COVID-19.
“West Africa, like other regions of the world, faces extreme public health challenges caused by the coronavirus, West Blue has harnessed its unique IT expertise to develop a bespoke and highly customised digital platform that aims to help curb the spread of the disease within the populace.”
Mintah continued: “critically, the Epidemic Response Hub includes a social mobilisation tool that allows members of the public to donate funds and goods to entities distributing aid and resources to those most in need. It is a one-stop-platform that enables State officials and the public to work closely to prevent the spread of the disease, and protect society’s most vulnerable.”
The hub, she added, also enables traders and retailers to apply for official permits to re-open stores selling essential goods.
Applicants, she explained, are then provided with a code that can be verified by authorised persons when conducting safety checks.
On his part, CEO of West Blue Consulting, Mark Addo, added: “the Epidemic Response Hub is the first-of-its-kind in West Africa, and has been developed to support the response to highly contagious diseases such as Lassa fever, cholera, measles, Ebola and the novel covid-19 disease.”
