Firm, NGO improve health outcomes with use of biometrics
HumanCoop, healthcare professionals and technical experts in northern Mauritania, has delivered primary and specialised care through missions in the region to over 2,500 people. UNHCR said over 350,000 in North
HumanCoop, healthcare professionals and technical experts in northern Mauritania, has delivered primary and specialised care through missions in the region to over 2,500 people.
UNHCR said over 350,000 in North Africa and Middle East lack identity or nationality. This lack of identification prevents issuance of documents to certify their identities, thereby hindering creation of records for treatment traceability.
Identy.io will provide HumanCoop with facial biometric identity verification solutions. This technology will facilitate the identification of each patient, even in the absence of documentation, leading to faster access to medical records and reducing the likelihood of duplicate registrations among undocumented patients.
Identy.io’s technology operates offline, processing biometric data directly on the device without an Internet connection or cloud storage. This capability is crucial for functioning in remote areas of Sahara Desert and for ensuring privacy of vulnerable populations.
Identy.io, a company that specialises in identity verification through contactless mobile biometrics and creation of digital credentials, has formed a humanitarian partnership with HumanCoop, a non-governmental organisation of volunteers providing primary and specialised healthcare services in North Africa. Their goal is to facilitate digitalisation of identity for undocumented patients and create histories and care records that enhance monitoring of treatments and progression of illnesses and chronic conditions.
As part of the pact, Identy.io will allow HumanCoop access its facial biometric identity verification. This will enable it identify each patient, even in cases where individuals lack a documented identity, nationality, or prior medical history. Consequently, more accurate and comprehensive medical records can be created during each mission, reducing the duplication of patient records. This is a common issue when patients attend consultations without documentation from previous visits, which often leads to the issuance of new records.
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HumanCoop is set to launch an initial implementation phase using Identy.io’s solutions in Bir Mogrein, Mauritania. This phase will involve user registration conducted during two medical missions. The primary objective is to establish a biometric patient database and ensure its proper integration with the existing clinical records system. Following this, the technology will be gradually expanded to other operational areas, such as Zouerate, where surgical missions take place. There will also be comprehensive training provided for local teams and volunteers on how to use the new biometric verification tools. Continuous evaluation processes will be established to assess improvements in identification accuracy, service times, and follow-up on cases.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), North Africa and the Middle East are home to a significant number of displaced persons and individuals lacking identity or nationality. More than 350,000 people do not have any form of documentation that proves their identity, which severely impedes the creation of medical records necessary for monitoring and tracing their treatments.
Founded in 2020, HumanCoop is an international cooperation organization that focuses its activities in northern Mauritania, particularly in the Tiris Zemmour region, with a special emphasis on Bir Mogrein and occasional surgical missions in Zouerate. With a team of volunteer healthcare and technical professionals, the organization provides medical support to over 2,500 people in Bir Mogrein, conducting between 600 and 1,200 consultations during each mission. In Zouerate, it performs surgical missions for numerous patients.
Identy.io operates globally to combat identity theft and impersonation by using advanced contactless biometric solutions. These solutions leverage smartphone cameras and flash technology to capture users’ digital credentials, such as facial features and fingerprints. This information is processed and stored directly on the user’s device, ensuring that critical data is protected from potential cloud-based attacks or data breaches. Additionally, Identy.io partners with social organizations, granting access to its biometric solutions. Notable collaborations include The Exodus Road, which focuses on preventing human trafficking, and My Family ID, the only mobile app that allows for the capture of digital credentials for elderly individuals and minors. This information can be made available to authorities in cases of disappearance or abduction.
According to Jesús Aragón, the CEO of Identy.io, “We believe that biometrics is becoming a global security standard, enabling collaboration on significant issues beyond just fraud or identity theft prevention. Working with organizations like HumanCoop gives purpose to our efforts to develop technological solutions that support underserved communities. We take pride in contributing to the improvement of living conditions for thousands of people in North Africa and are grateful to HumanCoop for their trust in our company.”
Ignacio Calatayud, the President of HumanCoop, adds: “At our organization, people have always been our top priority. Since our founding, we have focused on reaching places that others do not, using our medical knowledge and experience to enhance healthcare conditions in disadvantaged communities across the Maghreb. Thanks to our collaboration with Identy.io, we can now operate more efficiently and tailor treatments more effectively to each patient’s medical history. In doing so, we hope to strengthen trust in the healthcare system, provide better care, improve follow-up, and ultimately cultivate a more protected community.”
