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.”

To make a donation, simple go to www.cafdonate.cafonline.org/12801#!/DonationDetails. Or you can go towww.virtualdoctors.org/donate/#donate.

Cheques can also be sent, made payable to The Virtual Doctors, to The Virtual Doctors, Sussex Innovation Centre, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9SB.

Suggested donations include: £30 for an information pack about spreading the disease; £100 for equipment to help diagnose the illness; £110 for a water sanitation and hygiene pack for one month. This includes a foot operated wash basin, hand soap, surface disinfectant, continuous spray bottle, cleaning rags and ten reusable face masks.

You can spread the message and share on social media by using #cleanwaterforclinics.

The Virtual Doctors relies 100 per cent on charitable donations to support its work. Find out more at Website: www.virtualdoctors.org. Follow on Twitter: @VirtualDocProj Facebook: @TheVirtualDoctors.