The Vodafone Ghana Foundation in collaboration with the National Ambulance Service (NAS) and tinyDavid, a software developer, has launched a mobile application to enable the Ambulance Service respond in a timely manner to emergencies.
The app dubbed ‘SnooCode’s CodeRed’ is available for free on android play store and is expected to cut down emergency response time by allowing the general public to download it, and generate unique codes for their homes and businesses. Through the codes generated, NAS is able to obtain accurate information about locations of emergency cases.
The app is built with enhanced features to enable the Ambulance Service to locate victims easily and accurately, even in situations where there is no Internet connection.
The Director of the Ghana National Ambulance Service, Professor Ahmed Nuhu Zakaria, explained the importance of speed in emergency response, saying: “Fast response times are a crucial component of emergency service system worldwide. The unfortunate lack of an addressing system in Ghana is a serious hindrance to the services offered by our emergency service providers. However, with the launch SnooCode’s CodeRed mobile application today, we will be able to timely save lives of emergency victims”.
The app came about as a result of Vodafone’s Mobile for Good competition in which tinyDavid was awarded a grant to develop a solution using its SnooCode app to help the NAS improve its services to the general public.
Lord Michael Hastings, a Trustee of Vodafone Ghana Foundation, said the company places invaluable importance on its corporate social responsibility and is always looking for creative opportunities to contribute to the communities in which it operates.
“Our CSR initiatives involve a wide range of stakeholders including employees, business partners, suppliers, customers, public authorities and NGOs representing local communities, as well as the environment,” Mr. Hastings noted.
“To us, this presents a great stroke of inspiration in helping to decrease the mortality rate in Ghana. It is in every way a representation of what we stand for as a company; it shows our commitment to be consistently interested in the well-being of the communities in which our employees live and work,” he added.
Explaining how SnooCode application works, Chief Executive Officer of tinyDavid Sesinam Dagadu, said: “The app generates a genuine and secure code that makes sure no two locations in the country have the same sequence of numbers and letters. Whenever a person calls the emergency service for assistance, the code makes it easier for the emergency team to navigate to the exact location of the victim.”
