Radar App

Most African countries' health systems lack the capacity(doctors, medical supplies, hospital beds) to effectively deal with the pandemic. Testing kits are too expensive and therefore difficult to carry out mass testing of people. The best option is to carry out massive prevention and control. The Radar platform has a surveillance aspect for tracking areas of risk where Covid-19 cases have been recorded and paths taken by infected people. This will help people take protective measures such as avoid high risk locations, if one may have been in those locations they can self quarantine and monitor their health and if necessary contact health workers to get tested. It involves a decentralized self reporting system of one's symptoms anonymously and data aggregated for planning and research by health officials and government.

Radar app will help early detection of epidemics and other infectious diseases to prevent transmission and save lives.

The health systems in Africa have a limited the capacity to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. According to research (Surgical Systems Research Group), one aspect of the health system is that before covid-19 Africa was dealing with other deadly diseases such as TB, malaria, cancer which have already burdened their health systems and adding on covid-19 stretches it further. Another aspect is that the capacity to provide critical care that comes with covid 19 is very low due to inadequate ventilators,electricity, oxygen, intensive care beds and other medical supplies. This is the case in Kenya as well. In other continents despite their advanced health systems the pandemic has gravely affected their capacity and led to more infections and death than in Africa.

The world is a global village and this pandemic has proved that with the high rate of transmission and infections in over 200 countries and in a short span of about 3 months. Prevention and control should be the main focus. Our solution aims at helping control the rate of transmission by alerting people of high risk areas, self quarantine for anyone in that area and other control measures. 

Radar is a platform used to digitally track covid-19 cases and provide prevention and control measures. The platform is available in 3 ways

• An android application (full platform)

• Web application (full platform)

• A USSD Menu (partial platform)

Radar platform provides

•  a channel where infected people can share their movements with a wide audience while maintaining anonymity

•  a portal where users can actively monitor high-risk locations.

• a simple self-monitoring tool to track their symptoms over time and gauge their need for medical attention

• basic information on the virus transmission

The user registers using their phone number for anonymity and sets up a password. Add biological data such as age, sex, and any pre-existing medical conditions to their profile. Input manually information on where they have been in the last 14 days and anyone they may have met (input phone numbers) so that SMS alerts can be sent for one to gauge if they are at risk.

Technical specifications: The web application is developed using JavaScript Vue JS Framework that is dynamic and with a user-friendly interface. It is accessible through a working internet connection and compatible with multiple web browsers such as but not limited to Chrome, Mozilla, and Opera.

The target is the urban population of Kenya. They are about 13 million Kenyans, they are active, creative and mobile. There are those that work in the formal sector with a majority in the informal sector. It is important that we consider them and ensure they are informed appropriately of the virus as they can be the main transmitters of the virus since they actively move around socializing, transportation and working. Our solution ensures that we look out for their health and well being and maintain it in good condition as they are the drivers of the economy. Their poor health will lead to a downward spiral of the economy. 

As we develop the solution we consider there are those with smartphones and those without. The app has been simplified so that one can use the app or use browsers to access it. For those without a smart phone they use the USSD application. 

The solution will help them keep off high risk areas as they move around and even inform others of the same. For those that may be in those high risk areas, they may take the necessary precautions to protect themselves and others.

The problem we are addressing is the high rate of transmission of the disease and the lack of capacity of the African health systems to handle the disease. If transmission is not handled, large numbers of people fall ill. This is a threat to security of the healthcare system and health of the people. Our solution is aimed at preventing further transmission and enhancing control measures. Our target population are the majority, very mobile and come into contact with many daily. It is important that they do not get infected and ultimately save lives and the healthcare system. 

There is no presence of such an application in Kenya. At the moment we are relying on the media for information but it cannot cater to every individual need as the app does. The app will assist in self evaluation of your health and alert you if you crossed paths with an infected person. The individual needs of the person using the app will be met and collectively will cater to the health and well being of all people.

The programming language that is used to develop the web application is JavaScript Vue JS Framework that is both dynamic and with a user-friendly interface. The back end solution is developed using Python due to the high amounts of data the app should hold. A domain extension is for accessing the web application and to create the API endpoints for all the requests that will be needed for the app to be usable .  the application will be secured, and all requests will be made to an API end point that is further secured by an SSL certificate signed by Amazon. APIs will be developed using RESTFul APIs which are the latest technology available. A MySQL relational database hosts all users’ related data. It is accessible and compatible with multiple web browsers such as but not limited to Chrome, Mozilla, and Opera

We have a website ready https://www.corona-africa.com/ as well as a whatsapp bot that is live+254 110098244 where one can take a self evaluation test. The website is available for use by health officials for contact tracing and data retrieval. The android mobile app has been launched and is currently undergoing reviews on Google playstore. 

We have developed 3 platforms on which Radar is accessible, that is an app, on the web and a USSD application. The user enters their basic information which will be stored using an anonymous ID. They also enter their location in the last 14 days as well as the symptoms they experience. The app provides information on Covid 19 high risk areas according to the data entered by users, if they have crossed paths with an infected person, self evaluate if they should quarantine and practice hygiene and prevention measures. The data recorded is used by health professionals and government for contact tracing, mass testing planning and other research purposes. 

This helps reduce transmission of the virus, meaning less people fall ill. The health system benefits in the end from the burden of high number of patients it is unable to cater for hence those who become sick can receive adequate care and will reduce the number of deaths. The platform will continually provide virtual medical services post Covid-19.

The app is still in its development stages and we hope to target at least 1 million users in the next one year. We have the potential to reach out to about 13 million users which is the urban population in Kenya. In the next 5 years we will have expanded our reach to other countries especially the neighbouring countries suvh as Tanzania and Uganda and hopefully we may double the number of users.

Within the next year we hope to contribute to early detection and reduced transmission of the covid-19 in order to ease the burden that may be faced by the healthcare system. Once the app is successful within the year we extend its each to neighbouring countries. In the next five years we intend to modify it to  deal with other infectious diseases and to expand our reach to other countries in Africa. Also modify it to offer virtual medical services such as doctor's consultation, information about other diseases and ways to prevent them as well.

The main barrier is funding for further development of the app and to carry out marketing as well. There is no other kind of app in Kenya therefore competition is not a threat. In the next five years our main barrier may be marketing to outside East Africa as within that period news about the app may spread and other companies in other countries may decide to develop the app in their own countries. With adequate funding and a tech literate team one can easily develop a similar app as it is open source. 

In 5 years time we will modify the platform to a virtual medical services provider. There are currently other virtual medical service providers in Kenya therefore competition will indeed be a threat but once the app gains success in this Covid-19 era it will still hold a market and relevance afterwards to be successful.

We are currently using company funds  and also applying for grants and other opportunities for funding such as challenges like these. We are seeking out partners in the health field and other related fields to assist us to market the platform and get users on it. 

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3 full time staff and 2 contract workers

Our project lead is an Economics and finance  Bachelors Degree graduate from New York University. She has 3 years of experience in consulting and finance and is currently the Grants and Partnership Manager for Untapped Water Limited. 

The lead software developer has 7 years of experience in developing custom software solutions having developed over 1 million lines of code for various organizations and has been successful in delivering on stakeholder needs. He has worked as a senior software engineer in the Technology industry and currently the Web developer for Untapped Water Limited.

Another one of our developers is a Computer Science graduate from Kenyatta University and has a certification as an Application Security Specialist with IBM. He has 6 years experience in software development and systems programming in the entertainment and fintech industries. He is currently the software development engineer with Asilimia, a fintech startup in Kenya.

Maxime Servettaz is the partnerships manager, a HEC Paris and Sciences Po alumni with a Masters in management and public affairs. He has more than 4 years experience in entrepreneurial ventures with impact in fin tech, agriculture and water sectors here in Africa. 

We all come together and contribute to various aspects of the applications technically and commercially. We have experience in software development and project management and these enable us to successfully carry out this project. We are also actively involved in Impact investing companies and our contribution is aimed at impact above profit.

The company that is currently sponsoring these activities is Untapped Ltd. We are still in search of partnerships with other organizations in the country, networking offline and online to get support for the app.

We have a subscription model for generating revenue where we ask all state and official users who want to access to the data that will be generated such as maps for location and phone numbers for contact tracing to pay a monthly fee of 10$/user /month. The app will also generate revenue for every download by a user. Our impact is guided by Sustainable Development goal 3 of Good health and well being as the app helps people protect and prevent themselves and others from the disease.

Currently the app has been suited to deal with the covid-19 pandemic. When the pandemic ends, the app can be further modified to cater to virtual medical services such as doctor's consultation . There will be modification of costs depending on the data and changes made. This will ensure continued use of the app and generation of revenue. 

We are especially in need of funding and expertise in marketing and promotion. The team is made up of software developers and managers and researchers. We need your advantage of vast networks to get the right partners and eventually the funding needed to settle costs and advance the marketing of the app. We need quick ways to draw users to download the app and help curb the high rate of transmission.

We require funding to cater to the development and labor costs incurred in coming up with the app. The funding will also go towards marketing of the platform in order to get users and generate revenue. Guidance on refining our revenue model will be important as well especially in the long run as we hope to sustain the use of the app post Covid-19.

Marketing and exposure guidance will be very important for the success of the app. Gaining users and seeing its use bring a difference can be achieved through the right forms of marketing and communication to users.

Potential partners are the tech giants such as Google, Microsoft, Facebook and Samsung. They are highly revered in the technology industry and they would be effective partners in funding the app and in connecting us to their networks. We wold also be interested in partnering with healthcare related providers and organizations so that their professional input can be considered going forward with application.

 The popularity and reputation of these companies would be effective during our marketing and promotion campaigns and users would easily subscribe to the platform.

I am passionate about impact investing here in Africa. I am currently the Managing Director for Untapped Ltd a global tech for good company that provides capital and support to local entrepreneurs with innovative products and services bringing change and eradicating poverty in their communities. I am also co-founder pf Coffee Direct which is a company that aims at promoting smallholder coffee farmers and lifting them out of poverty. Generally I am driven to promote innovation for good. If we should win the prize we will advance the Radar platform to cater to other diseases, carry out research to explore other areas of health security that are suffering and innovate ways to protect and uplift it.