MTN has thrown its weight behind the launch of the Africa COVID Communications and Information Platform (ACCIP), driven by the United Nations’ Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC) to assist countries on the continent respond to the impact of COVID-19.

According to a statement released, the platform aims to support the COVID-19 taskforce in each country, specifically their ability to analyse the situation and implement the necessary responses, as well as direct resources to mitigate the health and economic impacts of the pandemic.

MTN and partners have played a key role in the development of the platform as well as the creation and operationalisation of the mobile platform templates and operating protocols.

MTN Group president and CEO Rob Shuter.

“As a pan-African company, we are vested in the continent’s development and its ability to rise out of the COVID-19 pandemic stronger than before. Driven to enable digital and financial inclusion, we felt it important to use our technology, expertise and network for the good of Africa and its people,” said MTN Group president and CEO Rob Shuter.

“As we worked with the various partners to develop the platform, we were mindful of the realities faced in African markets where smartphone penetration and internet penetration are low. This platform offers free-to-use services using a combination of text and voice interactions,” he added.

Set to reach more than 600 million users across the continent, developers say the ACCIP represents an impressive mix of high and low tech to take practical advantage of the richness of data generated by users of even simple 2G phones.

Anonymous user-generated survey data will be transmitted to an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven system which will then combine it with public information from social and other digital channels for targeted analysis.

The ACCIP platform will allow policymakers to share insights and harness data to inform decision making at a regional and national level for the benefit of local populations.

National authorities will ultimately also be able to conduct community-level messaging for social welfare, facilitating cash distribution (including e-payments) or targeted information on local food distribution or the provision of clean water.

When data shows emerging virus hotspots, authorities will be able to direct medical resources to those areas, as well as alert residents of their availability.