South Korea’s KT has rolled out its Global Epidemic Prevention Platform (GEPP) in Laos to help the Southeast Asian country enhance its epidemic preparedness and control.
Laos is the second country to use the GEPP after Ghana, where service began last month.
Laos GEPP is a joint endeavour between KT, the Ministry of Health of Lao PDR and the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH).
“We will continue expanding abroad using the launch of Laos GEPP, the first in Southeast Asia, as a springboard,” said Yun Hea-Jeang, KT’s EVP and head of the Big Data Business Support Unit.
Through GEPP, Laos will be capable of issuing warnings to travellers in epidemic-prone areas. The Laos GEPP smartphone app will inform users if an epidemic disease has broken out at their location, describe the symptoms and give prevention advice. GEPP will also allow users to report their symptoms to nearby health offices.
The Department of Communicable Diseases Control of Laos will be able to gauge and monitor a public health crisis based on data collected from Laos GEPP.
The multi-function platform will likely help cope with dengue fever and measles outbreaks in Southeast Asia.
In view of the rising number of Koreans visiting Laos, the service is also expected to contribute to their safety and help prevent infectious diseases from spreading internationally.
