The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Viet Nam Ministry of Health have just announced the official use of the mobile application S-Health after 8 months of trials.

The first-ever app, developed based on technical support from the UNFPA and financial support from the Japanese government, is especially dedicated for older adults who are generally considered as being among the most vulnerable groups in society.

In light of the complicated developments of COVID-19 pandemic, many Vietnamese families have found it difficult to care for the elderly and people with underlying medical conditions. During the pandemic, many elderly people are afraid to go to medical facilities for regular medical checkups, leading to the worsening of the disease. Therefore, this app is considered as a helpful telehealth solution.

Nguyen Thi Ngoc Lan, Deputy Director General of the General Office for Population and Family Planning (GOPFP) under the Ministry of Health, remarked S-Health was born in parallel with nCovi and electronic health book apps with the aim of meeting the needs of health care for Vietnamese people in general, and the elderly in particular, in the context of COVID-19, and the Industry 4.0 revolution as a whole.

Information on the app is frequently updated, including health care for the old during the fight against COVID-19, common diseases in the elderly population, rational nutrition, and geriatric physical therapy.

Users can keep track on their health by providing the app with their health metrics such as blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and Body Mass Index (MBI). The app will then create an archive, analyse the index, and give warning to the users.

Voice search is a preeminent property of this app, making it easier for the elderly with visual impairment to look for health information.

Besides, the app provides users with contacts of prestigious healthcare facilities nearby.

The app is now made available on IOS App Store or Android CH Play

Reporting by B.T (Source: GOPFP) - Translating by M.D