Mobile apps are great modern tools that could help in the fight against malaria. The Malaria Buddy App provides info on the disease, how to prevent getting sick and what to do if you think you’ve got malaria.

Mobile applications (APPs) are enabling easier communication in general. It is therefore, a modern tool that could aide in the fight against malaria.

The ‘Malaria Buddy’ APP focuses on both collaborating institutions’ respective “clientele” namely the people living in malaria endemic areas and travellers or holiday makers moving in or through malaria endemic areas respectively.

At first the APP appears to be very basic with information on the disease, how to prevent getting sick, map of malaria areas, and what to do if you suspect you have malaria

However, phase two of the APP aims to make use of GIS technology in order to make the APP a ‘GPS’ to malaria hot spots and treatment options, simply by using the phone’s location, and therefore, your travelling ‘Buddy’ when in malaria areas. The idea behind this specific APP, designed by a Software Developer at TWF, is the brainchild of the son of one of the MRC & UP CSMC’s members, Prof Walter Focke.

The APP is available to download on the iTunes store for iOS devices and Google play for Android devices.

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