THE government, UN and Push Mobile have sealed a partnership pact to reach over 10 million Tanzanian mobile users with life-saving information on Ebola.
Through the partnership, Push Mobile, a mobile communication company providing SMS aggregation services across all the available mobile networks in Tanzania, commits to support the UN and the government's social mobilisation efforts on Ebola.
For a period of four months, the company will provide SMS push services to share information on Ebola.
As part of the agreement, Push Mobile and its UN and government partners will also provide Information on demand on Ebola: through this service, mobile users in Tanzania will be able to send the keyword EBOLA to short code and get free access to Ebola information.
"If an SMS can save lives, Push Mobile is committed to reaching as many mobile users in Tanzania as possible. Technology provides unique opportunities to boost Ebola preparedness and response activities.
"Through our partnership with the UN and the Ministry of Health, we hope to help communities acquire the knowledge needed to identify Ebola symptoms, to prevent and stop transmission of the virus," Freddie Manento, Chief Executive Officer, Push Mobile, said about the partnership.
Over the past months, Ebola's confirmed death toll has climbed past 9,000 with most deaths occurring in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. There have been over 23,000 reported cases of Ebola to date.
"Partnering with the tech industry is a powerful way to raise awareness of Ebola in Tanzania," said Mr Alvaro Rodriguez, the UN Resident Coordinator in Tanzania.
Tanzania has not yet been affected by the virus while the outbreak has now slowed across West Africa. But it would only take one infection for Ebola to threaten the lives of millions of people in the country.
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