ITU
“Welcome to the voicemail of the platform for the prevention of coronavirus. To prevent the spread of coronavirus, the Government of Niger and the Ministry of Public Health encourage the population to adopt the following measures.”
So begins the message Nigeriens hear after dialling 701 and connecting to the voicemail of the Ministry of Public Health.
Available in five national languages – French, Fulfulde, Hausa, Zarma-Songhai and Kanuri – the 701 service provides crucial information about COVID-19 prevention measures and what to do in case of infection.
Since the pandemic first hit Niger in March 2020, around 95,000 citizens have accessed health advice on COVID-19 either through the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) platform, or by receiving text messages on their mobile devices.