Covid-19 status App tracking 72,000 EAC truck drivers
Cross border truck drivers are highly exposed to Covid-19. PHOTO/FILE
The Covid-19 status of at least 72,900 truck drivers across the East Africa region is being monitored through a mobile application (App), according to TradeMark East Africa.
The App, which was launched in September 2020 by the EAC Secretariat in partnership with TradeMark East Africa and the European Union, has been key in the fight against Covid-19, especially among cross border traders.
Speaking during the World Trade Organisation Aid for Trade stocktaking conference, Mr Alban Odhiambo, the TradeMark East Africa senior director for trade environment, said the App - Regional Electronic Cargo and Drivers’ Tracking – which is available on the Google Play Store, is monitoring at least 90 per cent of truck drivers across East Africa.
The App is built with two versions, one of which is used by drivers while the other is used by border post officers for verificatione.
“Since we launched the App in September, 2020, more than 72,900 drivers have downloaded it. This represents more than 90 per cent of cross border trade drivers in the entire EAC,” Mr Odhiambo said, adding that whereas the current App was built in English, there are on-going efforts to localise it in languages spoken widely in EAC such as French and Swahili, among others.
Whereas Covid-19 has been a major problem for all sectors of the economy, truck drivers have been more affected due to their cross border movements.
During the lockdown, the Ministry of Health in Uganda would on average record at least 100 Coronavirus suspected cases.
Therefore, the Regional Electronic Cargo and Drivers’ Tracking App, which automatically picks test results for all cross border truck drivers indicating which is negative and positive, will go a long way in fighting Covid-19 and promoting trade, especially at a time when disruptions have not subsided.
Prior to the roll-out, cross border truck drivers had been spending many hours in long queues at border posts, which had disrupted both trade and movement of goods, services and people. During the virtual meeting, Ms Caroline Kobusinge, a health officer at the Malaba One Stop Border Post, said the App had eased clearance at border posts because by the time truck drivers arrive, their certificates are already in the digital system.
“When a driver arrives, he opens the App and displays the code to the port health official. The code is scanned to confirm that the results displayed are authentic [to] clear to trucker to continue to immigration,” she said.
The Regional Electronic Cargo and Drivers’ Tracking App is part of TradeMark East Africa’s $23m Safe Trade Emergency Facility that seeks to support governments in the region to undertake critical measures along the transport and trade routes.
Mr Frank Matsaert, the TradeMark East Africa chief executive officer, said because Covid-19 is going to be around for some time, it was important that the region focuses on long term recovery measures to support trade.
