Gupshup, conversation cloud, along with Meta, the Sudan Medical Specialization Board, and non-profit Shabaka, yesterday announced the introduction of a telemedicine chatbot.

The chatbot will provide healthcare access to Sudanese refugees in Egypt, Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Djibouti, and other surrounding nations.

According to the project partners, the goal of this approach is to close the healthcare gap for Sudanese refugees.

The continued strife and violence in Sudan has pushed more than 8.6 million people to evacuate their homes, with many seeking shelter in neighboring countries.

Gupshup stated that this project intends to meet the urgent healthcare requirements of nearly 800,000 Sudanese refugees, who now have limited access to basic medical services in Egypt and its surrounding countries.

Patients can now use the chatbot to engage with healthcare providers via WhatsApp, making medical help more accessible and efficient.

Participating doctors and Shabaka, an innovative diaspora consulting group, will promote the chatbot.

After providing initial information, patients are routed to a triage team of healthcare professionals who assess their concerns before connecting them to one of over 18 specialty doctors that support the program.

The telemedicine chatbot offers refugees an omnichannel experience that allows them to communicate with medical specialists via any internet-enabled device in a secure and regulatory-compliant manner.

It currently supports Arabic and English, with additional languages to be added based on demand.

“We are honoured to be part of this humanitarian project that aims to provide essential healthcare services to Sudanese refugees in need. By leveraging the power of conversational AI and the reach of WhatsApp, we can make a significant impact on the lives of these individuals who have faced immense challenges. This project is a testament to our belief that technology can be a force for good, and we are dedicated to continuing our efforts to support humanitarian causes around the world,” said Beerud Sheth, founder and CEO of Gupshup.

Dr Sara Ibrahim Abdelgalil, senior advisor and project lead- Telemedicine at Shabaka, added: “The partnership with Gupshup and Meta allowed several Sudanese medical professionals to successfully engage in our very effective telemedicine program to service civilians in need following the eruption of the war and various challenges in accessing healthcare services.”,