Orange has launched My Healthline in Cameroon. Orange Cameroon customers will be able to access personalised advice on contraception, HIV/AIDS, sexuality and sexually transmitted diseases from specialists by texting 929 between 8am and 10pm any day of the week.

Orange anonymises all questions, then transmit them to a medical service consisting of Cameroonian nurses and doctors. After analysis, the answer produced by the healthcare professionals is sent back to the customer by Orange, within the hour, at a cost of XOF 200 (£0.21) per text message. The service will be provided in French, English and Pidgin (the main local dialect in Cameroon).

With two doctors per 10,000 inhabitants (compared to 33 in France), and half the population living in rural areas, access to medical facilities is currently very difficult in Cameroon. And as Orange Cameroon has 6,500,000 customers, My Healthline will be able to reach a large proportion of the population.

Orange Healthcare has collaborated with Orange Cameroon’s Corporate Social Responsibility Department and the Cameroonian Ministry for Health to achieve the best possible fit between the service and local needs. The subjects covered are themes often considered sensitive, or even taboo, on which people need reliable, non-judgmental information.