The Ethiopian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ESOG) is collaborating with the International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology (FIGO) on a new website called “Ask Dr. FIGO” – launching June 2021. The free-to-use website is meant to help users find answers to their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) questions.

The website has language support customized to allow users to ask questions and receive answers in Amharic or English. Other local languages will also be included in the future. The user asks SRHR questions anonymously, which will then be received by registered ESOG member OB-Gyns, sexual and reproductive health professionals. The professionals use the doctor platform to then prep and publish their answers, where the user is then able to return to access the information.  

The new platform, which has been under development for over a year, is expected to answer questions from adolescents and the general public in major cities and towns throughout Ethiopia. The platform will be launched as a pilot for a year to eventually go fully operational. Taking the lessons learned from the project in Ethiopia, it will also be launched in many African countries and others worldwide in all of their respective local languages.

The website has language support customized to allow users to ask questions and receive answers in Amharic or English. Other local languages will also be included in the future. The user asks SRHR questions anonymously, which will then be received by registered ESOG member OB-Gyns, sexual and reproductive health professionals. The professionals use the doctor platform to then prep and publish their answers, where the user is then able to return to access the information.  

The new platform, which has been under development for over a year, is expected to answer questions from adolescents and the general public in major cities and towns throughout Ethiopia. The platform will be launched as a pilot for a year to eventually go fully operational. Taking the lessons learned from the project in Ethiopia, it will also be launched in many African countries and others worldwide in all of their respective local languages.

The project is also working with the Ministry of Health and other initiatives like YEGNA to promote the use of the new platform.