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Africa Communication and Information Platform (ACIP) for Health and

Economic Action

Mr. Oliver Chinganya, Director, Africa Centre for Statistics

23 June 2020

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Covid-19 has a devastating impact across the entire

Socio-Economic environment in the countries

There are now more

than 300,000
The rapid spread of
infections across the
the COVID-19 virus is
continent.
expected to result in
a health crisis which
will cause an Africa is already
economic crisis experiencing the
resulting in a societal overwhelming
crisis COVID-19 economic & social
impact of responding to
the virus.

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BACKGROUND
This initiative is aimed at enhancing the capability of governments across the African continent to communicate and interact with the citizenry in
mitigating and managing the impacts of Covid-19 .

The epidemic has already demonstrated impact beyond health, as there has already been notable socio- economic impacts necessitating urgent,
effective and efficient intervention. The Africa Communication and Information Platform (ACIP) for Health and Economic Action for COVID-
19 response will complement the existing work or in planning by different governments and private sector.

The platform has three major components:

1) A massive online digital data set covering public information on health, economy, livelihood and food security.
2) An Artificial Intelligence engine that explores, identifies and displays trends, information and insights and the answers to key questions which
can determine where health interventions should be made, and how economic resources should be deployed, from thousands of sources including
social media, including Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp.
3) Provides an inbound (USSD & IVR) communication tool (with customizable content for each country), which allows governments to conduct
needs assessments (Health, Food, and Economic) as well as measuring the efficacy of current COVID 19 communication, and supplements and
complement population screening (through a self screener accessible to any citizen with a mobile device, including basic device users).

The true power of the platform is its ability to integrate both online broadband and mobile narrowband information, as well as facilitating collaboration
across Mobile network operators to serve the people that live in the country.

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Africa Communication and Information Platform (ACIP) for Health and Economic Action

Multilateral &
Development
USSD/IVR Organizations

National Covid Task Force,

Ministries of Finance & Health
USSD/IVR

Coordination

Coordination
Centre

Centre
Steps GRID3
1: Decision Making
2: Coordination
3: Data Collection
4: Analysis & Visualization
5: Decision Making
6: Coordination
7: Communication & Information

Data Collection Analytics Coordination Decision-Making Coordination Information & Communication for Action

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Economic & Health Platform Initiative . . .

Platform – Communication and Information for action. Supports the broadest

information gathering and communication

Information: Information gathering, both broadband online from social media,

as well as narrowband from Mobile USSD &IVR

Communication – Targeted communication via USSD and IVR menu for

health & other information

Decision Making: Analysis and recommendation tool for government

taskforces on Covid-19, inter-ministerial bodies, regional organizations and
authorized PPP's.

. . . . for the use of National COVID Task Forces, MOH & MOF
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Digital Technology Reach in Africa

African Population Total: 1.341 billion

(100%)

Mobile Total: 603 million

(45%)

3G/Smartphone Total:
308 million
(23%)

Both Digital & Narrowband Channels must be used to reach 600+ million people
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The Mobile USSD & IVR Platform will deliver . . .

Industry collaboration to build fit-for-purpose solution

Free USSD and IVR platforms for information gathering and

communication

Free outbound SMS’ to drive awareness and communication of

initiatives

API Access to Platform for information integration with online

channels

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Initial Mobile Operator Partners Cover 36 African Countries

1. Benin 1. Democratic Republic

1. Botswana 1. Chad
2. Cameroon of Congo
2. Burkina Faso 2. Congo Brazzaville
3. Congo Brazzaville 2. Egypt (w/Vodafone)
3. Cameroon 3. Democratic Republic of
4. Cote d’Ivoire 3. Ghana
Congo
4. Central Africa Republic
5. eSwatini 4. Kenya (w/Safaricom)
4. Gabon
5. Cote d’Ivoire
6. Ghana 5. Lesotho
5. Kenya
6. Democratic Republic of
7. Guinea Bissau 6. Mozambique
Congo 6. Madagascar
8. Guinea Conakry 7. South Africa
7. Guinea Bissau 7. Malawi
9. Liberia 8. Tanzania
8. Guinea Conakry 8. Niger
10. Nigeria 9. Liberia 9. Nigeria
11. Rwanda 10.Madagascar 10.Rwanda
12. South Africa 11.Mali 11.Seychelles
13. South Sudan 12.Morocco 12.Tanzania
14. Sudan 13.Senegal 13.Uganda
15. Uganda 14.Sierra Leone 14.Zambia
16. Zambia 15.Tunisia
*Operator participation is subject to regulatory approval. Other countries such as Comoros, Burundi, Ethiopia, Seychelles, Togo & Zimbabwe have been invited to join.

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What exactly is ECA requesting from Government & Regulators

Letter of Approval to Mobile Operators, authorizing the necessary requirements to

support this COVID-19 specific initiative:

1. Unified toll-free SMS code

2. Single nationwide, multi-operator USSD string
3. Free Interactive Voice Response (IVR) service
4. Authority to collect information
5. Authority to transmit information for processing, analytics and insights

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IN COUNTRY LAUNCH PROCESS

Proof of
Design Regulatory Deployment by
Concept Test
(Complete) Approval Mobile Operator
(Complete)

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THANK
YOU!
,

COVID-19