e-CARE: An app to fill in the gaps in pediatric care

Filling the gaps where staff shortages hinder care for children under five 

The e-CARE app helps health care providers overcome shortages of qualified personnel. Based on a clinical algorithm, it aims to improve the diagnostic process for children under the age of five so teams can propose the most effective treatment. 

The app was implemented in a health center in the Ouaka prefecture just over a year ago, and now it’s already in the consolidation phase and awaiting wider deployment in other places where MSF works, particularly those struggling with capacity. e-CARE is designed to serve as a virtual medical assistant, enabling caregivers to ask all the questions needed for a proper diagnosis and recommend the appropriate course of treatment.  

Antibiotic over-prescription decreases since e-CARE’s introduction 

Over the years, over-prescription has exposed people to the risk of developing increased resistance to antibiotics, which poses a real public health problem. 

“Before e-CARE came along, patients were almost automatically given antibiotic,” says Bénédicte. “This is not good because it creates resistance [to antibiotics]. Now, we can find other solutions based on what the app suggests."  

After the introduction of e-CARE at the Kidjigra health center, the number of antibiotic prescriptions dropped significantly, from 40 percent to 21 percent after just one month. By helping to address over-prescription, e-CARE is helping to rectify one of the major problems health care systems face in under-resourced settings around the world.