Digital technology is enabling rapid responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and widening people’s access to digital solutions. Utilizing the digital age tools, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has joined Telecom Egypt in the ‘One Million Free Consultations Initiative’ in cooperation with Altibbi, which provides 1 million remote consultations for free, using digital technologies.

The One Million Free Consultations Initiative is the largest free medical consultation campaign globally that facilitates undergoing medical consultations via the online platform, voice calls and text messages. This initiative’s purpose is to support Egyptian citizens by reducing the cost of medical consultations, promote social distancing at the time of the pandemic, and reduce the pressure on hospitals and clinics at these critical circumstances. While the campaign will take place across the country, it will focus on residents of Upper Egypt who face a critical lack of access to quality healthcare. Launched in 2020, the initiative has done more than 750,000 digital consultations, quarter of which were about COVID-19.

Through Al-Tibbi and the 1 Million consultations initiative, the elderly and the most vulnerable groups who can’t go to hospitals and clinics, will be able to receive high quality, professional and timely e-medical consultations through Altibbi.

UNDP Resident Representative in Egypt Randa Aboul-Hosn said “Digital health consultations is how we can respond to the growing concerns resulting from the pandemic and the need for physical distancing. UNDP believes in the power of digital solutions that reduces inequalities and enhances service delivery especially for vulnerable communities. We can now depend on the online platforms to perform some of people’s needs. This initiative is embracing communities, providing free consultations, and thus leaving no one behind.”

Engineer/Adel Hamed, Managing Director and CEO of Telecom Egypt (WE), said; “The One Million Free Medical Consultations” initiative aims to support the telemedicine system and help Egyptians obtain free medical consultations over the phone or through online applications. The company has added a competitive advantage to the initiative by assigning a short number (16445), in order to facilitate communication for those who have no access to online platforms.  The initiative also contributes to reducing traffic and congestion in light of the precautionary measures taken by the state to confront Corona virus, indicating that Telecom Egypt is always keen to support digital solutions that employ communication & Information technology to serve citizens, facilitate their lives and meet their evolving needs.

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About Telecom Egypt - WE:

Telecom Egypt - WE is the first total telecom operator in Egypt providing all telecom services to its customers including fixed and mobile voice and data services. Telecom Egypt - WE has a long history serving Egyptian customers for over 160 years maintaining a leadership position in the Egyptian telecom market by offering its enterprise and consumer customers the most advanced technology, reliable infrastructure solutions and the widest network of submarine cables. Aside from its mobile operation "WE", the company owns a 45% stake in Vodafone Egypt. Telecom Egypt - WE’s shares and GDRs (Ticker: ETEL.CA; TEEG.LN) are traded on The Egyptian Exchange and the London Stock Exchange.

About UNDP

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.

Learn more at undp.org or follow at @UNDP and in Egypt, learn more at eg.undp.org or follow @undpegypt on Facebook and Twitter, @undp.egypt on Instagram.

About Altibbi

The first website in the region that offers distant medical consultation services, allowing patients to connect directly with doctors via audio call and chats.

Altibbi also works on more than a million pages providing Arabic medical content via the Internet and providing reliable medical information to those who need it, in addition to providing medical advice service online in all countries in the Arab region; With approximately 400 million people in the Arab world lacking basic health services, including access to medical information and advice, more than 70% of physician visits are unnecessary and add to the health system. Medical is the largest Arabic medical platform that is dedicated to providing reliable medical content, from 10 thousand certified physicians for the Arabic reader. Altibbi website won the World Summit Award for the Best Digital Health Content and the Schwab Award for Best Social Organization.

For more information, please contact:

UNDP: Fatma Elzahraa Yassin, UNDP Communications Analyst at fatma.yassin@undp.org

WE: Dalia Badr, CSR Unit Manager for Healthcare Projects at dalia.badr@te.eg