Fighting South Africa’s most deadly diseases with mobile technology

South Africa's biggest killers

In 1983 the first case of AIDS was diagnosed in South Africa with the first related death the same year. Seven years later, an estimated 6.5 million people in South Africa were HIV positive. In 2017, South Africa had the biggest HIV epidemic in the world with 7.1 million people living with the virus. An estimated one third of those will also develop Tuberculosis – the number one natural cause of death in South Africa.

Empty cupboards

While these statistics sound very alarming, HIV and TB are manageable diseases if patients are able to access regular treatment. Unfortunately this has not always been the case. Many clinics are in rural areas and rely on inefficient paper-based processes to manage their supplies, which would often results in stock-outs.

Fully stocked

In 2014 mobile operator Vodafone teamed up with Mezzanine and the South African Department of Health to find a solution to this serious problem. The result was Stock Visibility Solution, a mobile system that allows health facilities to monitor and replenish their stocks in real time.

An excellent prognosis

#CaseForChange is in South Africa to talk to the staff of one of 3000 health facilities in the country where the system has been implemented. Join us as we learn more about Stock Visibility Solution and how it is providing thousands of patients with consistent access to the quality medication that they need.