Commenting on the development; Minister Paula Ingabire said: “While traditional contact tracing efforts are effective, technologies like Exposure Notifications augment these efforts and make the job simpler.”
“Our job within the technology community is to find ways of collaboration to solve societies most pressing problems, this is an example of people joining forces to combat a virus that affects us all,” said Robert Kainamura, CEO of QT Global Software.
Upon activating Rwanda Notify on iOS or downloading the app on Android, users can receive or send exposure notifications when they or their contacts have tested positive for COVID-19.
The phone exchanges random, anonymous codes through Bluetooth with the phones of nearby people who also have enabled Rwanda Notify on their smartphones.
Whenever a Rwanda Notify user tests positive for COVID-19 and adds their verification code to the app, Rwanda Notify sends anonymous notifications to any other users who have been near the infected person in the past two weeks.
This lets the user get the care they need quickly and helps prevent them from spreading COVID-19 to other people.
Rwanda Notify is entirely voluntary and prioritizes every user’s privacy and confidentiality. The Exposure Notification framework is designed to safeguard and avoid connecting any personal data with an individual’s device.
For example, the identity and location of the users are not known or kept by the app. Rwanda Notify gives the power to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Rwanda by keeping everyone, their loved ones, and the community at large safe.
On Android, the Rwanda Notify app can be downloaded on Google Play; if you have an iPhone, opt-in to Exposure Notifications in your device settings.
