Our daily lives face an existential crisis as COVID–19 pandemic shows no signs of slowing down. Scientists and health agencies around the world have been trying to work on solutions. Interest in digital technology is rising as a viable tool to escape lockdowns and re-open economies around the world. Ideas such as “contact tracing” are being experimented to deal with the pandemic. Contact tracing is identifying, assessing, and managing people who are battling with the disease, to prevent onward transmission. When systematically applied, contact tracing will break the chains of transmission of COVID-19 and could be an essential public health tool for controlling the virus.
In Nepal too, the government, along with private companies, has developed several mobile applications to tackle the pandemic, restrict incidents, and help people handle their health, day-to-day needs, and other critical needs. While data privacy is an issue at stake, most of the app developers are now trying to put in place mechanisms to protect user privacy.
Check out the most popular smartphone applications that are helping Nepal fight the COVID-19 crisis.
- Hamro Swasthya App
Hamro Swasthya is a mobile application designed by the Government of Nepal’s Ministry of Health and Population to provide Nepalese people with accurate information about important health issues. This application focuses on COVID-19 monitoring and knowledge at this time of the global COVID-19 pandemic, but the ultimate aim of the application is to address all health-related issues in the coming days.
You can download the app on Google Play Store.
2. Shuvayatra App
Thousands of migrant workers who have returned to the country, either lost their jobs or thrown out from border-closing countries and revoked visas. Before the pandemic, about half a million people migrated annually in search of economic opportunities to the Middle Eastern countries, particularly; the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait. Data till 2019 show that remittances from overseas employees make up a quarter of Nepal’s GDP, helping families and communities who stay at home.
The Asia Foundation in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), local CSOs Bikas Udhyami and AMKAS Nepal, Sharecast, a local tech company Smart Ideas and a few others have over the past couple of years developed an application called Shuvayatra. The Shuvayatra app right now is working as an information portal for returning migrants and their families, providing them with instant updates on COVID-19 in Nepal and an unfolding response from the government. By leveraging the user-base of Hamro Patro, information is available to over 5 million on Shuvayatra.
The applications feature podcasts from 15 local radio stations in 28 districts in Nepal, financial advice, and information focused on labor migrants, a directory which gives information on the Nepal Embassies in different nations, emergency services, migration-related organizations, etc.
We can download the app on Google Play Store.
3. Covira App
The Nepal Engineers’ Association launched an application named “Covira” for risk assessment of COVID-19. The app shows the state of COVID-19 risks in any geographical area in Nepal. This could substantially help manage the risk. The app assesses the risks based on age, gender, state of chronic disease, and the risk of transmission of COVID-19 based on the routine activities. Science Hub will amend the application as and when they keep on receiving information from the .
It is available on the website form.
4. COVID NP App
During this pandemic, it is tough to find all the major information under one roof. The COVID NP app addresses this issue. Under this app, you can find all the official information. Developed by the National Information Technology Center under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, this app professes to have contact tracing, Self COVID-19 Test, Doctor’s Counseling, COVID-19 Learning, etc. The app also claims to have the total number of infected people, recovered people, total tests, and people in isolation. It also gives a division of the numbers according to Province. Not only this much, but the app also has information on counseling doctors, ordering household needs, emergency numbers, etc.
Based on the Bluetooth system, the application developer can know the person’s health conditions by asking them some questions. The app also has a self COVID test that you can take by answering a few questions. The app categorizes people according to their answers into the green, yellow, and red zones. It stores the data at the Government Integrated Data Centre established under the Ministry of Home Affairs. IT experts claim the app is on par with international standards.
We can download the app through the Google Play Store or through the COVID19 Government website.
5. COVID-19 Response App Nepal
The Nepal army has also launched a mobile app called “COVID-19 Response App Nepal”. This app provides an emergency service by collecting information from the public. Through this app, the can send information of any family, friends, or neighbors that show any symptoms of COVID-19. They then send the information to the Nepal Army. The data helps for necessary management and analysis.
This is an Android app and you can download from the official website of the Nepal Army.
For information on COVID-19 from the Ministry of Health and Population:
– Call the hotlines at 1115 and 1133 from 6 AM to 10 PM
– Call 9851255839, 9851255837, 9851255834 from 8 AM to 8 PM
– Search for MoHP Nepal COVID-19 on Viber to join the Ministry’s community
Or get WHO health alerts on WhatsApp by texting “hi” to +41 79 8931892
