Research Projects

mHealth4Afrika

The European Union funded mHealth4Afrika (Mobile Health for Africa) project is building a mobile, electronic management system for patient/client data in public clinics and hospitals in South Africa, Kenya, Malawi and Ethiopia, initially focussing on the records and data for pregnant women and their full pregnancy cycle until the new-born phase. This will assist in early detection and prevention of health problems during pregnancy, child birth and early childhood. In South Africa and most African countries, patient records are still mostly paper-based. The electronic management of records will go a long way towards better and more efficient healthcare management. The mHealth system will work on any device (laptop, cell phone, tablet, pc) that can access the internet even though the solution also works without internet connectivity.

For more information vist: http://www.mhealth4afrika.eu/

Contact person:  Prof Darelle van Greunen (Email: Darelle.vanGreunen@mandela.ac.za)


Mobile Applications for Tuberculosis

The application (funded by the Discovery Foundation) will enable community health workers, (CHW’s), and general healthcare practitioners to enter health data into an ordinary cell phone. This tracks patient trends and themes to identify and contain potential disease spread. Among data recorded are X-ray reading results, sputum requests/results, kinds of medications used by the patient, contacts they’ve had, glucose levels (due to the strong TB/diabetes correlation) and what patients ingest.  A current area of investigation is recording the free speech of patients during CHW home visits, plus the patient using their own phone to record moods at intervals during the day. Key words are identified and used to correlate with recorded activities and ingestion. One aim is to educate and engage patients to motivate them into self-management of their conditions to enable longer and healthier lives. 

Contact person: Prof Darelle van Greunen (Email: Darelle.vanGreunen@mandela.ac.za)


School Health Assessment

It is the aim of this project to demonstrate the use of ICT in Health to improve School Healthcare. The primary objective of this project since 2013 was to make use of mobile devices with specific mobile applications to improve access to school healthcare and health education based on the needs of the school nurses in the Intsika Yethu district.  The solution is currently adapted to allow for scalability to several other districts including Sarah Baartman and the Western Cape.

Contact person: Alida Veldsman (Email: Alida.Veldsman@mandela.ac.za)


Improving cause of Death Reporting in South Africa

This is a free online course to equip medical students and doctors to adequately complete a medical certificate of cause of death. The 4 modules are presented along with audio narrations and takes the participant through a step-by-step journey on how to complete the Death Certificate accurately.  There is also an online assessment for which the participant will receive HPCSA – approved CPD points.

For more information vist: www.deathcertification.org

Contact person: Prof Darelle van Greunen (Email: Darelle.vanGreunen@mandela.ac.za)


Find my Mojo

The Find my Mojo application was developed in response to assist persons dealing with mental health issues such as depression and the emotional toll and stress of the Covid-19 pandemic. The app allows the user to track their moods and physical or social activity but also provides quick links to Call Centre numbers that deal with depression, stress and anxiety.

Contact person: Prof Darelle van Greunen (Email: Darelle.vanGreunen@mandela.ac.za)


e-Ready

The eReady project is funded by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and managed by the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA).The CCT was appointed to refine and pilot the paper-based ICT Maturity Assessment Tool with 53 Schools in KZN, NW and MP. Once the paper-based tool was refined the CCT developed an Electronic ICT Maturity Assessment Tool which was piloted with 102 Multigrade schools across all 9 provinces in South Africa. A policy brief of the findings and recommendations has been drafted and will be presented to all role players such as DSI, TIA and the DBE (Department of Basic Education). eReady will be rolled out to 26 000 schools.

For more information vist: https://www.eready.co.za

Media and Communication:

Contact person: Prof Darelle van Greunen (Email: Darelle.vanGreunen@mandela.ac.za)


DigiTB

The CCT developed a responsive web-based TB application that has a Video Observed Treatment (VOT) platform incorporated into the application. This enables Community Health Care workers to observe treatment compliance and schedule appointments with patients from any geographical location as they can view the patients on their devices via this video link. Patients download the application from the Google PlayStore onto their mobile phone and connect via a meeting link that is integrated with the phones calendar. The mobile application also contains a Treatment Side-effect module as well as a Frequently Asked Questions module.

 

For more information vist: https://digitb.org

Media and Communication:

Contact person: Prof Darelle van Greunen (Email: Darelle.vanGreunen@mandela.ac.za)


Leap Agri

The Leap Agri Mobile application was developed by the CCT in partnership with Fraunhofer Portugal. The application aims to assist rural farmers increase soil quality and yield capacity. The application has been developed with the focus on Maize and Sweet Potato crops. The application has a real time weather application, soil classification triangle and also has pest control modules with color images that will assist the farmer in identifying and treating certain pests.

      

YouTube Channel:  https://www.youtube.com/@centreforcommunitytechnolo7165/videos

Contact person: Prof Darelle van Greunen (Email: Darelle.vanGreunen@mandela.ac.za)


Navigating the Big-C

Navigating the Big C is a mobile/web application that is used to support a patient and families journey through cancer. It does this by :

  • Providing information such as cancer treatments, side effects, and types.
  • Having a registry where patients can request assistance or any needs they may have. 
  • Providing a death doula which prepares the patient for death and get to get their affairs in order.
  • Presenting a coping kit which gives the patient much needed helpful information.

Contact person: Prof Darelle van Greunen (Email: Darelle.vanGreunen@mandela.ac.za)


CANSA Pain Thriver App

Pain thriver is a mobile application that was developed to help cancer patients manage their pain better. The App is available on Google Play Store and the App Store (Ios) and has the following functionality:

  • A “pain dairy” and recording where they are experiencing the pain, the level of the pain, and the time of day in which it occurred or is occurring.
  • Creating your own profile where your medical information such as treatments, diagnosis, contact details, and medication can be stored.
  • Having access to information and resources

Contact person: Prof Darelle van Greunen (Email: Darelle.vanGreunen@mandela.ac.za)


C-Vive

C-vive is a mobile application that shares information about cancer. The application is targeted towards South Africans with little to know knowledge and access to information or are illiterate or visually impaired.  It does this by offering voice overs, animations, games, and also has multilingual capabilities.

     

Contact person: Prof Darelle van Greunen (Email: Darelle.vanGreunen@mandela.ac.za)


Menstrual Health App

The Menstrual Health App is an innovative menstrual health app designed specifically for teenagers, aiming to educate, empower, and support young individuals on their journey toward better menstrual health. With a user-friendly interface and comprehensive features, the Menstrual Health App provides a safe and inclusive space where teenagers can access reliable information, track their menstrual cycles, and connect with a supportive community.

Contact person: Prof Darelle van Greunen (Email: Darelle.vanGreunen@mandela.ac.za)


Mental Health App

The Mental Health App is a dedicated mental health app designed specifically for young adults, offering a wide range of resources, tools, and support to help them navigate the challenges of this transformative stage of life. With a user-friendly interface and personalised features. The app aims to empower young adults to prioritise their mental well-being, build resilience, and foster a positive mindset.

Contact person: Prof Darelle van Greunen (Email: Darelle.vanGreunen@mandela.ac.za)


Cybersecutriy and Porn Awerness Education

Porn Awareness Education is a set of comprehensive educational videos that focuses on cybersecurity, and porn awareness, and provides guidance for parents regarding warning signs of porn addiction in children. Designed for young children as early as eight years old and teenagers. Porn Awareness Education aims to equip young individuals with the knowledge and skills to navigate the digital landscape safely while addressing the potential risks of explicit content. It also supports parents in recognising signs of porn addiction and taking appropriate actions.

Contact person: Prof Darelle van Greunen (Email: Darelle.vanGreunen@mandela.ac.za)


Capacity Building Project

Common Good First (co-funded by the European Union and in partnership with Glasgow Caledonian University) aims to support and grow the emerging South African social innovation sector by creating a digital network to capture and showcase social impact projects in South Africa, connecting them to each other, academics and HEIs around the world. In doing so, we will also address the issue of the ‘digital divide’, as identified by the country’s National Development Plan 2030 (2013), by supporting the growth of e-skills among community groups, including innovative digital storytelling modules which will be co-designed and taught by young people in our partners HEIs and community projects. Based on the high usage of mobile phone technology in South Africa, we will ensure that these platforms are at the heart of our content and application development.  

For information visit:  https://www.commongoodfirst.com

Contact person:  Prof Darelle van Greunen (Email: Darelle.vanGreunen@mandela.ac.za)


Space for Digital Creativity


Engagement and Outreach Programmes

Learn to Code The Centre for Community Technologies’ Learn2Code prograrem has been running since February 2017 and teaches Grade 6 and 7 learners from under resourced schools in Port Elizabeth’s Northern Suburbs how to code. The learners attend classes for an hour once a week where they are taught soft computer skills and coding using a software called Scratch. The program is run by Mr. Afikile Sikwebu who is the Technology for Education facilitator at the CCT. The program, funded by the Nelson Mandela University’s Research Fund and the CCT, started as an out of school, extra-curricular program for Grade 9 – 10 learners but has since been altered to an internal program for primary school learners where the facilitator goes to the schools to teach. Currently in its second year running, Learn2Code has seen over 300 learners pass through the program

Contact person:  Afikile Sikwebu (Email: Afikile.Sikwebu@mandela.ac.za)


Droning by Kite: One thing that children have in common, no matter which generation they are from, is that they love to play and explore. CCT’s Educational Technology initiative has incorporated this into their innovative “Droning by Kite” program. The high cost of drones has put this flying technology out of reach for many of the children in the Northern Areas where the CCT has an education technology footprint. It is due to the high cost of drones that an alternative was developed, where learners are taught to make their own kites, using available materials and attaching cell phones to the kites. The phone is then sent up with the kite to capture video footage. Mathematical skills are an integral part of the exercise as learners have to calculate the dimensions of the kite accordingly to ensure that it responds with the wind velocity and resistance. The kites also have to be sturdy enough to hold the cell phone.

Contact person:  Afikile Sikwebu (Email: Afikile.Sikwebu@mandela.ac.za)


The Youth Leadership Academy is currently in its 7th year. The FamHealth-Nelson Mandela University Youth Leadership Academy’s mission is to educate the youth, strengthen the family and rebuild the community by aiding and supporting the educational, spiritual, moral and social development of at-risk-youth.  Grade 11 learners from schools in the Northern Areas participate in this initiative over a period of nine months attending workshops and activities on a variety of topics that contribute to their development. Several presenters are from the Nelson Mandela University community and give of their time on a voluntary basis.

Contact person:  Johan Botha (Email: Johan.Botha@mandela.ac.za)


e-Skills for Community Healthcare Workers is an initiative under the management of Mr Grant Jacobs, the Computer Lab Manager in Gelvandale.  The aim is to add e-skills (MS Office, Internet and email) to the healthcare training of community healthcare workers enabling them to also use technology in their daily tasks.  To date, more than 1500 community healthcare workers have received training at the facility in Gelvandale.

Contact person:  Grant Jacobs (Email: grant.jacobs644@googlemail.com)