The national SIFE (Students In Free Enterprise) champions and representatives of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (SIFE-FUTO), smarting from their second outing at the SIFE world cup in New York, USA, have developed a novel mobile phone powered health information system.
The project, the first in any higher institution in Nigeria, is expected to assist students of the institution report any health problems to their medical centre, and get treatment advice (in the case they are outside the campus) or first-aid application in the case of an emergency, from a medical expert.
The application is available on the BlackBerry App world for BlackBerry users; but would soon be on the Android market.
“Other mobile users can download the application through our face book page just by liking “ENACTUS-FUTO” on face book,” said Christopher Nwosu, team leader of the SIFE-FUTO. Meanwhile, they have been renamed as “Enactus-FUTO,” being part of a global team of determined students out to make positive changes in their host communities by applying ‘entrepreneurial actions and enabling progress.’
According to Christopher Nwosu, the team leader, the application is one that “brings information about health issues to the mobile phones of the patients. It has a first-aid section that gives quick information on things to do in cases of emergency. “It also includes a section for diseases diagnoses where you highlight some symptoms you are facing; and this section gives possible sicknesses you may be prone to,” said Nwosu.
The health information system, known as “enactus-futo-health-app,” which worked in close collaboration with the University’s medical centre, listed information on diseases/ illnesses reported in the institution between July and September 2012, as test case. It also advises the patient to meet a consultant, in some disease cases.
“The application does not just advise you to meet a consultant, but it has a section that refers you to a consultant if you need the services of one. This referral is done through a text messaging system with your service carrier, so you don’t have to depend on internet services to reach a consultant,” said Nwosu.
Since its establishment seven years ago, Enactus-FUTO (formerly SIFE-FUTO) has executed a number of projects through mainly the help of sponsors. Their latest project, ‘Making Entrepreneur,’ which won them the national University championships, created eight entrepreneurs with a total combined capital of N45 million from the SURE-P programme.
Other projects are: Fisher Project 1, which aimed at solving protein-deficiency problem by creating fish-farms; Indomie Bukka, in partnership with Dufil Foods empowered 10 persons around Owerri, each with one moveable Indomie cart; I Perceive worked for deaf and dump students by rewiring their school library utilizing energy-saving bulbs, and raising over 300 books for their library.
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