As further demonstration of its commitment to deliver equality of
experience for all segments of society, Egypt’s Ministry of Communications
& Information Technology (MCIT), has joined forces with United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP), Egypt and Avaya to extend the capabilities of
WASEL — its dedicated contact center service for people of determination — with
the addition of automated testing for COVID-19 symptoms for the deaf and hard
of hearing.
A world first, this chatbot utilizes AI
to enable sign-language based interaction, providing users intuitive access to
critical COVID-19 related information and support. The service is conveniently
available via the Tamkeen Website or WASEL smartphone application. This initiative aligns with
the efforts of the MCIT to support the Egyptian government’s plan to
effectively mitigate COVID-19 challenges, and the State’s vision of deepening
social integration by utilizing smart technologies that foster inclusivity
through all segments of society.
UNDP’s Resident Representative in Egypt , Randa Aboul-Hosn, stressed the importance of using ICT solutions
and smart technologies to combat the spread of COVID-19 and mitigate its
negative effects, especially for people with special needs. She highlighted
that her organization’s partnership with MCIT Egypt and Avaya has successfully
materialized into an easy-to-use solution that is carefully designed to help
deaf and hearing-impaired people cope with the challenges imposed by the
ongoing pandemic.
One of the key benefits of advanced
AI-based solutions such as the one employed by MCIT is that they reduce the
workload on call center agents in critical sectors such as healthcare, banking,
education and government, that are experiencing a surge in service requests
from concerned customers and citizens.
India— June 5, 2020