Brighton charity fighting Covid 19 on the virtual frontline

Virtual Doctors, based at the Sussex Innovation Centre in Falmer, Brighton, is taking the fight against the global pandemic online.

Using a smartphone app, volunteer NHS doctors offer advice to isolated health centres in rural Zambia. UK medics help diagnose conditions, treat patients and prescribe medicine.

Now the charity is warning urgent help is needed to tackle the coronavirus outbreak in Zambia.

Huw Jones, Virtual Doctors founder and now executive director, from Worthing, said: “We can play a key role in supporting the Ministry of Health’s response to this unprecedented crisis. We are perfectly positioned to recognise urgent needs and provide immediate assistance.

“We have a critical time to diminish the impact of the virus”.

The telemedicine and e-learning techniques used by the Virtual Doctors team support social distancing by circulating knowledge remotely. This cuts down on unnecessary referrals to distant and overworked hospitals.

The current focus in Zambia is on water sanitation and hygiene as well as simple diagnostic and education projects.

Working with the Ministry of Health to further prevent the spread of the virus, the Virtual Doctors aims to raise the funds needed to further equip 140 isolated health centres for three months.

Chairman Graham Precey said: “Since 2010, we have been working with the Zambian Ministry of Health and more recently in Malawi. We need to work quickly and efficiently using our proven technology to fight Covid 19.

“We hope many people will join us by contributing to our fund, set up with an initial £10,000 from our Board.”