K-P develops health portal to tackle dengue scare

PESHAWAR: Amidst growing concern over the spread of the dengue virus Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), the K-P Information Technology Board (K-PITB) has developed a ‘health portal’ mobile application for the public. Users of the application will now be able to identify symptoms of dengue and report suspected cases around them. The application can also be used for reporting and monitoring citizen feedback on any public health issue in the province. The application has easy to understand infographics and content in both Urdu and English languages.

Citizens can also call the toll-free dengue helpline ‘1700’ around the clock hours a day, read an official statement issued by IT board, adding that the App would be available to download from Google Play Store in the coming days. Further, health workers can also use the app to post updates on treatment activities, and when they recognise symptoms of infectious diseases in communities across the province. The K-P health department will use the data collected to identify public health trends and monitor health worker performance, it informed adding that they have also developed a computerised ‘dashboard’ which analyzes data. K-PITB Managing Director Shahbaz Khan stated that the board had been asked if there was a way technology could help address public concerns, adding it was accepted as an opportunity to build something which could potentially transform the public health sector in the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 26^th, 2017.