Ministry of Health, Kuwait launched Health Mobile App Shlonik to monitor home quarantined returnees. Shlonik mobile app is an interactive app that will be used to assist the Ministry of Health. The app will help MoH to engage with all citizens and residents. App will be used to ensure their safety with a focus on COVID-19 pandemic.
App Links
In Google Play Store, the app has the following link:
In the Apple App Store, the app has the following link:
Health Mobile App Shlonik Features
Shlonik app has the following features:
- the latest health updates
- a health Bot
- a self-check-in mechanism for quarantined patients
- vitals reporting and a communication tool with the MOH medical teams.
Who Produced Health Mobile App Shlonik
Shlonik is the combined effort of MOH, the Kuwait Central Agency of Information Technology and Zain.
Procedure to Use Shlonik App
Kuwait has started a massive operation to repatriate citizens from abroad due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. The app. called ‘Shlonik’ (colloquial Kuwaiti for, how are you?), will help the MoH gauge quarantined peoples abidance by relevant rules. All returnees had to install the app on their mobile phones and turn the Bluetooth on Shlonik will track their movement and notify the ministry if they broke the quarantine rules and left home. In this case the MoH will immediately contact the concerned person and ask him/her to send a live photo to check his/her location. The ministry teams will also send messages daily at random times to the quarantined people, asking them to send a live selfies, which will be examined and matched with their previously sent photos
The interactive app will also help doctors communicate with the quarantined people and follow up on their health conditions and detect coronavirus symptoms, such as sneezing, cough, fever and breathing difficulties. If a person had any of these symptoms, the ministry will swiftly send preventive health teams to make all medical checkups and transfer the person to a hospital if necessity arises
Punishment for Violators
The Ministry of Health has trained about 100 doctors to use Shlonik to follow up with the quarantined people. Govt will check violators of the quarantine rules and will punish them in case of any violation. The punishment is jail for three months or a fine of up to KD 5000 (over USD 15000) or both. The ministry will distribute bar-coded bracelets to all returnees to make sure they will not leave their homes.
For his part, the ministry spokesperson Dr. Abdullah Al-Sanad identified the conditions set by the ministry to allow any returnee to opt for home quarantine not the state quarantine facilities. The returnee’s health condition must be stable and has a separate well-ventilated bedroom for quarantine. It is preferable that there is a separate toilet. It is also necessary to identify specific individuals to serve the quarantined person at home. He emphasized that the Ministry of Health is keen on implementing all preventive measures to maintain the safety of returnees and the whole society and to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.
Minister of Health Statement
On Saturday, Minister of Health Sheikh Dr. Basel AI-Sabah affirmed that personnel of the department are prepared to receive Kuwaiti citizens repatriating from abroad. He urged adherence to health measures and guidelines to ensure the safe return of the citizens from abroad. He warned, authorities would not be lenient with anyone who may breach the health precautions during the operation. The Cabinet, in an extraordinary session on Monday, adopted a phased process to bring back tens of thousands of Kuwaiti citizens from abroad. All the citizens who have remained there amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
Source : KUNA