Digital accelerator NE8x® launches www.ChallengeCOVID19.org portal
The whole world is currently facing an unprecedented crisis amidst the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic outbreak.As, the health fraternity is working round the clock to assist in detection and cure for COVID-19, the impact however is affecting allied sectors like education, health and the world is facing a huge misinformation challenge at the same time.Based in India digital accelerator NE8x, launched the timely initiative with #ChallengeCOVID19 online aggregator dashboard to track the outbreak of COVID19 for providing resources, checklist on the pandemic.’Keeping a close track of the escalating COVID19 outbreak as reported by our two community fellows in Germany and China respectively, our team launched the online dashboard on March 14th on NE8x Health with three dedicated initiatives that followed later and was integrated on the platform including: www.verify-news.org (News verification and fact checking network by NE8x Media), www.essentials-online.in (On-demand services acceleration for MSMEs by NE8x SmartHub) and www.eLearning-India.in (An open learning and upskilling initiative by NE8x SmartEdu).With time, we understood that the situation is going to impact some of the major sectors in society and we dived in to assist the community with best possible resources available’ says founder & serial entrepreneur Roy Riddhinil.
Explaining more on the initiative, Anisha currently heading the Verify-News.org initiative undertaken for COVID-19 related fact checking, news-source verification and myth-buster says ‘Misinformation has been a huge problem we are dealing with during the COVID19 crisis.One of the key parts of the response to COVID-19 has been the fight against False information – with misleading information and myths related to healthcare information spreading around the world on leading social media platforms specifically whatsapp forwards’ Driving the awareness campaign the team is working on the 6-steps challenge that comprises hashtags encouraging to stay and work from home, washing hands, social distancing and wearing masks on showing symptoms.On the media front, it is helping to train online reporters, citizen journalists and students from the country across mass communication / journalism domain by developing short training modules, access to our media mentors & tools on their platform.Under the Verify-News.org initiative, leading media organisation (mostly in digital content sector) have come forward together to create a news source and verification network for digital media portals to fight fake news and misinformation.
Online dashboards helps fetch data and convey a real-time mapping of the spreading disease.Public and media can use dashboards and maps to display data with real-time mapping as it helps to speed awareness and preparedness ‘Data and technology, in today’s age plays an integral role for assisting healthcare professionals to manage and monitor diseases’ says.Arpan, Tech Head at NE8x SmartHub.At this unprecedented situation, the on-demand services sector is experiencing a huge growth opportunity as only essential services have being allowed to remain operational during the outbreak.As digital acceleration is a core part of NE8x, the team has added an online assistance & acceleration platform www.essentials-online.in for the local business by setting up their business services online.NE8x SmartHub has helped launching web portals, online shops, digital listing and full suite of digital marketing solutions for essential services providers and small medium enterprises including small businesses in pharmacy, grocery, beauty, repairs, wellness, rentals, logistics sector & beyond.
Mentoring the team on this cause, NE8x Advisor Dr.Jagdish Behera has been helping the team with his expertise on telemedicine and is closely monitoring www.ChallengeCOVID19.org portal with his team at Masterdoctor Wellness that is assisting the team as health analytics partner for the initiative with NE8x Health.The NE8x team has compiled a resource-list by conducting surveys with citizen centric reports on how their community is tackling COVID19.NE8x Health also has set up an online symptom checker tool for crosschecking symptoms and conditions for non-clinical assessment and helping people know the commonly recorded symptoms for self-risk preparedness.’Our summer internship saw a huge demand this year, as its conducted virtually and campus ambassadors network in NE8x SmartEdu initially helped drive huge engagement for the COVID19 preparedness online modules’ says Abantika currently heading the www.eLearning-India.in initiative under NE8x SmartEdu.As educational institutions are conducting their academic activities mostly online and students are getting guidance from parents at home, this is a perfect opportunity to help upskill them and help make good career oriented decisions.With our diverse range of edu modules and pool of influencers across domains, we are also focussing on vocational and alternative career paths that are unique for learning purposes among student community and emerging as high demand career option among the unemployed sector who have lost jobs due to the crisis.We aim to take this initiative forward by providing them self-sustaining career option and also upgrader their resume and skill-sets.
With initiatives like these, at the hour of COVID19 outbreak and support from government agencies, health organisations, media and communities the ongoing challenge to Coronavirus its truly a battle that needs to be fought together for the imminent threat world faces from it across domains that are inter-related.Encouraging the citizens to avoid panic, maintaining basic hygiene and social distancing can not only save lives but also help set an example of a worldwide revolution that despite sacrificing lives, came together as one with the advent of healthcare and technology and solved the challenge.Advances in tech for digitizing small and medium enterprises, thereby skilling the workforce will help tackle the crisis on economic front in the post-COVID19 scenario.
