On Thursday 25th June 2020, the Kenya Medical Association National Executive joined the C.S Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology Hon. Joe Mucheru & the CAS Ministry of Health Dr. Mercy Mwangangi in the Official Launch of the #COVID19 Contact Centre at the Nurses Complex Kenyatta National Hospital Grounds.
The contact center which sits at the National Nurses Association of Kenya (NNAK) headquarters is a partnership between the association-NNAK, Kenya Medical Association, Kenya Clinical Officers Association (KCOA), Kenya Health Professionals Society, Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), Kenya Psychiatric Association, COVID-19 Fund, Equity Bank, Clinical Psychologists Association of Kenya (CPAK) and Kenya COVID-19 Fund. The center will offer psychosocial support to the front-line healthcare workers as well as provide a platform to access information and exchange best practices among the practitioners.
The Covid-19 Contact Centre uses Konza Technopolis Development Authority digital platform to support front line health care workers and for health care innovation in partnership with Ministry of Health, Ministry of ICT and Kenya Hubs Association.
KoTDA CEO Eng. John Tanui speaking at the event said that the Covid-19 Contact Centre is a platform for frontline health care workers to access information, exchange best practices, training, psycho-social support and keep track of disease incidence amongst them.
CS MoICT Kenya Mr. Joe Mucheru said that the Ministry, through KoTDA, will provide technical support, reliable infrastructure and devices that will be linked to the National Data center located at Konza Technopolis. It will provide information to the public and be a one-stop-shop for Covid-19 related queries.
Speaking during the launch, Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Youth, Mr. Joe Mucheru mentioned that following the COVID-19 Pandemic, health systems have now been challenged more than ever, with health professionals having to deal with the double burden of managing the disease as well as stigma and fear of contracting the disease. “It is in view of the same that KoTDA and other partners have set up this COVID-19 Call Centre,” he said.
His counterpart, CAS The Ministry of Health Dr. Mercy Mwangangi said that the ministry appreciates the utilization of innovation and technology in providing solutions to the COVID-19 challenge.
“As a responsible citizen, KoTDA with other partners have set-up a COVID-19 Contact Centre (Call Centre). The call centre platform that can receive calls into the Healthcare Call Centre for Counselling services, enable health care workers see status of their colleagues, deliver faxes & voicemail to inbox, instant messaging, videoconferencing, online meeting and also provide interconnection to all Nationwide Healthcare Facilities and Workers” Eng. John Tanui, the Chief Executive Officer KoTDA.
