Praekelt Turn.io COVID-19 WhatsApp Helplines (Africa)
South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, multiple African countries, Africa (Sub-Saharan)
Praekelt.org's Turn.io platform powering government WhatsApp health helplines across Africa reaching 40+ million users. During COVID-19, South Africa's 'MomConnect' and 'HealthAlert' services provided automated symptom screening, vaccine information, and mental health support via WhatsApp chatbots. The platform uses conversational AI to provide 24/7 health information in local languages, with human escalation for complex queries. Extended beyond COVID to maternal health, HIV prevention, and general health information services across multiple African countries.
Theme Areas
Behavior Goal
Provide accessible, trusted health information and encourage health-seeking behaviors through familiar messaging platforms
Target Audiences
Methods & Approaches
Channels
Implementers & Partners
- Praekelt.org
- National Health Departments
Donors & Sponsors
- Gates Foundation
- USAID
- Google.org
Key Takeaways
- 140+ million users reached across African countries
- 2WhatsApp chosen for high penetration and trust in target populations
- 3Conversational AI enables 24/7 scalable health support
- 4Multi-language support critical for local adoption