Code Blue
Software (Web & Mobile) UDOMDawa Ipo?
Problem Statement
Medicine stock-outs create avoidable costs for patients and can contribute to delayed treatment, particularly for people who depend on regular medication and for patients in rural and peri-urban areas. Dawa Ipo? does not seek to replace existing government logistics systems. Instead, it is designed as a patient-facing information layer that can use available official stock information where access is permitted, while also allowing verified confirmations when official information is delayed. This approach keeps the proposed solution focused, practical and suitable for phased implementation.
Proposed Solution
The solution will comprise a Flutter mobile application for patients, a Next.js web dashboard for authorised administration and monitoring, and a Node.js/Express backend with PostgreSQL. A USSD/SMS gateway will provide access for users without smartphones or mobile data. Where authorised integration with existing health information systems is available, relevant facility-level stock information will be consumed through approved interfaces. The service will apply clear status labels so users can distinguish confirmed availability from information that requires confirmation.
Innovation
The main innovation is the shift from supply-chain visibility alone to patient-centred medicine availability information. Rather than creating another independent stock-management platform, Dawa Ipo? connects the information patients need with existing health information processes. The addition of structured confirmations helps address situations where official reporting is not yet current, while simple forecasting can identify facilities that may be approaching a shortage. The service therefore supports prevention of wasted journeys as well as earlier identification of persistent shortages.
Expected Impact
• Patients can check medicine availability before travelling, reducing unnecessary journeys, transport costs and lost working time. • Patients can identify a nearby confirmed alternative when a medicine is unavailable at the first facility. • Health facilities can communicate a current availability status instead of responding repeatedly to individual enquiries. • District health managers can see recurring shortage patterns and receive early-warning information for follow-up. • The project can generate measurable evidence on availability-information gaps and the response to medicine shortages.