Cameroon: Application connects patients with doctors

With over 12, 600 COVID-19 cases reported in Cameroon, many vulnerable people in the country fear leaving their homes for medical treatment for other conditions, concerned about being exposed to the virus in a health facility

But thanks to a new application called IDocta, patients are now linked to medics who can visit them at home.

IDocta also permits patients book an appointment and choose a doctor.

It works with more than 200 doctors, both GPs and specialist physicians.

Yannick Mbarga, is a Pharmacist and creator of IDocta. He said, “the problem that IDocta solves is access to affordable health care for people. We have found that urban centers are overcrowded, hospitals are overcrowded in urban centers. And in rural areas we face what is called the phenomenon of medical deserts. IDocta provides a solution to improve people’s accessibility to health care thanks to technology”. The IDocta team have seen their caseload triple in the last three months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Each home visit costs 9 U.S. dollars, slightly more than a consultation in a public hospital, but less than an appointment in a private clinic.

The medics are regularly tested for COVID-19. If they are positive, they are removed from the rota of visiting doctors, according to Idoctor creator.

Yannick Mbarga also said IDocta allows remote consultations.