KTRN, Rwanda’s only 4G LTEwholesaler company, has joined Babyl Rwanda in their efforts to expand digital healthcare across the country through the #ConnectRwanda campaign.
KTRN has donated 500 smartphones to 350 Health Centers that partner with Babyl, and 150 smartphones to Babyl Health Center Agents.
“KTRN, being a pioneer in the latest LTE technologies in Rwanda, is always looking for ways of championing technology-based solutions to Rwandan challenges. It is a priority & an opportunity to participate in empowering the Rwandan health sector, especially in telemedicine. With the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, we felt responsible for facilitating Rwandans in accessingthe health care services using digital technologies, benefiting from the Nation-wide 4G LTE network coverage,” said DAEHEAK Aaron AN, Chief Executive Officer at Korea Telecom Rwanda Networks (KTRN).
Donating 4G-enabled smartphones is also in line with theGovernment’s #ConnectRwanda initiative aimed at increasing smartphone penetration in Rwanda.
In partnership with Babyl Rwanda, KTRN is embarking on promoting digital health care as a way to deliver primary and safe care to Rwandans.
Embracing digital health care will enable many of the medical services to continue operating regularly and without interruption in the course of this pandemic while minimizing the spread of COVID-19.
Babyl enables health centers across Rwanda to triage patients and connects them to clinicians via digital consultations.
The donated smartphones will support Babyl’s project allowing health care workers and Babyl agents from various Health centers across the country to better serve the population.
“KTRN donation is contributing to the Government vision of digitization of health centers by providing suitable devices enabling patients to connect with a Babyl doctor or nurse over the phone. This solution is aiming at reducing the demand for health center staff. We remain committed to accelerating Rwanda’s digital health agenda in partnership with the Government of Rwanda and KTRN in playing a key role in helping us achieve our mission.” said Shivon Byamukama, Managing Director at Babyl RwandaBy accessing doctors over the phones for primary medical care reduces the burden of the physical health facilities and the medical staff will have time freed-up for patients with the most urgent and complex issues.
About Babyl Rwanda : Babyl signed a 10-year partnership in March 2020 to develop a new healthcare delivery model of ‘Digital-First Integrated Care’, where all Rwandans are able to gain access to qualified doctors and nurses through their mobile phone. RSSB & Mutuelle insurance members and others have access to the service.
To date, Babyl has over 2.4 million registered users & carries out over 3,000 consultations a day. Through a single, USSD platform, the service will work as follows:
●The patient books an appointment after a simple registration process;
●A nurse will call them back and take them through a triage process to decide if the conditions; are suitable for a digital consultation before booking them to a senior clinician;
●LAB tests are also booked digitally and the results are shared electronically with the babyl; doctor as soon as the patient has taken them at the medical institution;
●Prescriptions are also delivered via SMS code and the patient can collect their medication from pharmacies across Rwanda including those in Health Centers;
Babyl is also supporting the Government of Rwanda on home-care follow up for asymptomatic Covid-19 patients, where patients are followed up on a daily basis. Reporting other symptoms that may occur and ensuring the patients are out of the high-risk population and isolated at home until they test negative to the virus. (End)