By Perpetua Onuegbu
Abuja – Miss Farida Kabir, a Scientist, says she has developed an e-learning software for health workers that can help them build their capacity in health service delivery using their mobile phones.
Kabir, a Microbiologist made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview on Friday in Abuja.
She said that the software called O’tract was invented between 2014 and 2015 during the Ebola outbreak in the country.
She said that the software was invented when it became obvious that there were constraints in readily accessing available health information.
“Over the years, people have gotten inappropriate medical advice from some practitioners, especially at the local council level and of course the consequence was disastrous to their health.
“So, with that in mind, it became evident that continuous professional development is essential for health workers and unfortunately not all our health workers can afford travelling abroad for capacity development.
“Also, available seminars and conferences are expensive and not flexible, so to address this problem, I designed O’track to enable health workers to easily choose courses online,’’ Kabir said.
Kabir, who is also an entrepreneur, said that the platform could also enable health workers learn at their own pace on their mobile devices irrespective of their location.
She added that by so doing, they would learn a lot, which would help them in their professions.
Kabir said that the software had a provision for health advocacy tool, which could also help people not in the health sector to be involved in health advocacy.
“If for example, you are not a medical doctor, you have nothing to do with the health sector, and then there is an outbreak of Lassa fever, you can learn what to do and inform others.
“Or you notice an infestation of rat in your house, with the health advocacy tool you can easily log on to and get information on what you need to do.
“There are short and animated clips, audio files and other documents, we also have an e-library database whereby public health researchers can have access to scientific journals, books articles and many others,’’ she said.
Kabir said that the goal of designing the software was to enhance capacity development of health workers toward excellent health delivery services in the country.
She said that the health advocacy tool in the software would educate those outside the health sector about different kinds of diseases and ailments toward building a healthier nation.
