• The Department of Health has launched its B-Wise platform as an app.
• Previously the platform existed online as a mobi-site, but the move to an app will make it more interactive.
• It contains important info about sexual health, medications, mental health and other topics.

The South African Department of Health has revived its B-Wise digital platform in the form of an app which launched this week at an event in East London, Eastern Cape.

B-Wise was initially unveiled as a mobi-site in 2015 to provide information and tools to help younger South Africans embrace healthier lifestyles.

On the app, people can access information on topics like sexual and reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, TB, nutrition, fitness, substance abuse, mental health, gender-based violence and more, all free of charge.

The platform has now been transformed into a mobile app, according to the department, with most of the information now delivered through more interactive tools. It will reportedly be made available on the iPhone App Store and other app stores but we as of yet can’t spot it on Google Play.

With one of the app’s backers being the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), one of the main focuses of the platform is dispensing information about reproductive diseases, contraceptives, and HIV/AIDS and treatments.

It is estimated that around 12.7 percent of South Africa’s population lives with HIV, or around 7.8 million people in 2023. This number is steadily decreasing due to information campaigns and new advancements in medicine.

“Young people in South Africa continue to face barriers to healthcare access and information. The reactivation of B-Wise and the introduction of this innovative app address these challenges head-on, providing a digital space where youth can access life-saving health information and services without stigma or barriers,” the department explains.

“Together, we can ensure that every young person has the tools they need to make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing.”

The new B-Wise app is a welcome move to a more interactive and reachable platform, outside of the internet. According to an ITWeb report from 2015, initially, the platform would work via preset chat hours where users could talk to a person from the department.

We would like to see the app get zero-rated so that more people can use the platform to get access to this information.

[Image – Photo by Alexander Sinn on Unsplash]