Ithaka

Aviro Med Design Pty Ltd (Aviro Health) is a South African for-profit company that designs digital content and mobile solutions to improve patient experiences in healthcare. The innovation, Ithaka, is a mobile tool (web, WhatsApp, or online/offline mobile phone application) that provides patients with information and tools to make HIV self-tests(HIVST) easier to use and helps link patients back to care.
Ithaka supports patients through HIVST by providing mobile phone-based support at the point of distribution of HIVST kits. Without appropriate supports, HIVST distributors give out kits without knowing if they are used or being able to help overcome barriers to their use. Furthermore, a high number of patients do not report results or receive support in counselling or linkage to care, making program improvements and evaluation impossible and leaving patients unsupported in their health-seeking activities. Created using a human-centered design process and informed by multiple rounds of user workshops and prototypes, Ithaka empowers individuals to successfully use self-tests and nudge users back to the healthcare services they may require.