CUT students develop contact tracing app

By Staff reporter | 04 Jul 2020 at 19:22hrs
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VICE President Kembo Mohadi yesterday launched a contact tracing software, which was designed by Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) students at the institution's main campus.

The launch, which coincided with the unveiling of the Covid-19 Pandemic Information Dissemination cartoon magazine, followed an all day long tour by VP Mohadi of the university's Covid-19 and other projects.

Designed by Information Technology students Munyaradzi Muneka (20), Alvin Kakomo (21) and Christopher Chinyamukobvu (20), the software dubbed Sotario, A Contact Tracing Solution, is a mobile application that gives the user room to enter names of his or her contacts and their locations and the Sotario protocol will generate public 19 red zones, which are areas the patient has spent a considerable amount of time.

The application will then warn other users if one is entering a red zone. Launching the two initiatives, VP Mohadi who was accompanied by the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Monica Mutsvangwa, Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Prof Amon Murwira, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Mashonaland West Mary Mliswa-Chikoka and Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement, Vangelis Haritatos among other officials, applauded the university for its hands-on approach to the current Covid-19 pandemic, as it complements the Government's efforts in curbing the spread of the deadly virus.

"As the national task force chairperson on Covid-19, I'm delighted to launch the Covid-19 Contact Tracing Software and the Covid-19 Pandemic Information Dissemination cartoon magazine by the university that seek to help address the challenges at hand," he said.

VP Mohadi said the projects dovetailed into efforts by Government to spin around the fortunes of the nation through the introduction of various projects that feed into the nation's economic demands.

"A new industry of the future is being born around the tertiary institutions and the developments we witnessed here that seek to address national challenges should be emulated by all tertiary institutions around the country.

"These efforts speak to the importance of the universities and the 5.0 education, which seeks to produce students that are innovative and industrial, is critical towards progress needed by our people," Vice President Mohadi said.

He also took time to applaud efforts by institutions and private players that are producing PPEs and capacitating health institutions and frontline staffers towards the fight against Covid-19 and the nation's adherence to the World Health Organisation (WHO) lockdown restrictions set by President Mnangagwa.

In his remarks, Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology, Prof Amon Murwira said his ministry and all the tertiary institutions were fully behind Vision 2030 through the newly introduced 5.0 education system.

Vice Chancellor Prof David Simbi applauded Government for availing funds that have been used by the institution to turn around the education system at the institution.

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