What is iAfya?
iAfya is a mobile Application service that serves as a comprehensive, trusted health information reference tool for the general public - simplified to make your understanding easy. Whether you want to look up medical conditions, browse medical procedures, check treatment options or need basic first aid – the iAfya application offers you answers to your everyday health questions
In addition, the iAfya application also puts you in direct touch with your health partners - from your insurance to health professionals.
iAfya also features illustrated health messages and videos – designed to make reading about health fun! Kiswahili versions of the video content further expands the reach and usefulness of the service to the Kenyan population.
How can I access the iAfya app?
You can access the iAfya app from any internet enabled mobile phone, tablet computer or the traditional computer. Open your browser and type in www.iafya.org and you are in! It is important to register with us so that you benefit from personalised service. Registered users are able to receive services and information that is most relevant to them. Once you register, please keep your login details confidential.
Who is your target audience?
iAfya is a service that is primarily targeting the general public. Most of the information listed under the ‘basic’ section of the app has been designed to make understanding easy. However, we also have some advanced health information designed for primary healthcare workers on the ‘Advanced’ section.
What benefit would users derive from using the iAfya app?
iAfya users can benefit from the iAfya app in several ways:
1. They can access health information for free
2. They can directly contact healthcare professionals
3. We are working with health insurance companies to enable iAfya users to enroll for health insurance in any of the listed health insurance companies on the app; and/or if they are enrolled, be able to access more services from their insurance companies through the app
How can one access health information from the iAfya App?
There are several ways through which you can access health information from the iAfya app. These include:
- Using the ‘Search’ function for general health information
- Using the basic first aid feature for information on what to do when faced with common medical emergencies
- Browsing medical infor by alphabetical ranking or by anatomical body systems
- Browsing medical procedures
- Reading the latest news on the ‘News’ section
How do I use the search function?
This feature allows you to type your question or keyword and then getting results that are relevant to your search querry. The keyword can be a symptom, procedure, intervention, or the name of a medical condition. Once you press ‘search’, search results will be displayed and you can then choose the information that is closest to what you are looking for.
How do I use the ‘Basic first aid’ feature?
The iAfya application offers you access to basic instructions on what to do when faced by an emergency. Whether a child is choking, a boy has been bitten by a dog or someone has sustained a bone fracture - the basic first aid feature offers you step-by-step guide on how to stabilise the victim.
How can I look up medical conditions using the ‘Browse Medica Conditions’ feature?
This feature of iAfya offers you the opportunity to systematically browse through our database of medical conditions either using the A to Z index - which ranks all medical conditions alphabetically; or by looking for the medical condition by the anatomical body system affected.
If using the A to Z index, all medical conditions are ranked alphabetically by their first letter. For example, if you are browsing ‘Malaria’, you will click on ‘M’ on the main menu of the A-Z index. This directs you to another screen where all medical conditions starting with letter ‘M’ are displayed. While on this screen, if you scroll up or down you will see ‘Malaria’. If you click on ‘Malaria’ it leads you to another screen which offers you information on malaria.
If you choose to use the ‘browse by body system’, you need to have an idea of which anatomical region that medical condition affects. For example, you want to look for information on Asthma. We know that asthma affects our breathing system - so we go to ‘Breathing and Lungs’ on the ‘Health topics’ menu. If you click on it it displays another screen containing medical conditions that affect breathing. If you scroll down this screen you will find ‘Asthma’. If you click on it it displays infor on asthma.
What should I do if I want to get information about a medical procedure or a treatment?
The iAfya offers you a chance to learn more about diagnostic tests, drug therapies and surgical procedures. If for example we want to know more about a diagnostic test call ‘X-ray’, we can get this information by clicking on ‘medical procedure’ on the main menu, then click on ‘diagnostic tests’. The screen that appears lists all diagnostic tests alphabetically. Since ‘X-ray’ starts with an ‘X’, we click on it and we see all tests that start with ‘X’. Scrolling down this screen leads us to ‘X-ray’.
The same process is repeated if we want to look up drug therapies or surgical procedures.
Alternatively, if you do not know where a certain medical procedure is classified - do not despair. The iAfya app offers you an option of using the ‘’All procedures’. This feature lists all medical procedures alphabetically - making it easier for you to find the information.
What is featured in the ‘Current medical news’ section?
The iAfya app offers you the opportunity to catch up with the latest developments in health. Here we offer you current articles on medical conditions as well as factors affecting your health.
Is it possible for me to contact a health professional for health advice through iAfya?
Yes. The iAfya app offers you an opportunity to securely communicate with healthcare professionals. Through the ‘Contact a health worker’’ feature, you are able to send medical querries and you get responses directed to your email or profile. This feature requires you to be a registered user so that only you sees your feedback.
How can I enroll or contact my health insurance provider?
We are currently working with health insurance companies to enable iAfya users to be able to subscribe to any of the insurance companies listed on the drop down menu on the app. Once subscribed, you are able to directly communicate with your health insurance and receive personalised service through your iAfya profile. This service is under development and will be fully functional soon.