A recent report highlighted the launch of a new WhatsApp-based e-service, following another similar initiative introduced earlier. While such digital services are intended to make life easier for the public, it is worth asking whether they are delivering real benefits to the common user across the region.
On Monday at around 5pm, I accessed the Sehati app to book an appointment at a health centre for the following morning and was successful. However, when trying to secure an appointment for my wife, the system repeatedly displayed the message: “System currently not available.”
From that time onwards, I attempted to access the service every 30 to 40 minutes, including throughout the night, but received the same message each time. As a result, I was unable to make an appointment for her or cancel and reschedule my own booking. The system has now marked me as ‘absent’.
Despite repeated attempts, I have been unable to secure an appointment for the next day, and the earliest available slot may now be the following Monday.
It is commonly claimed that modern technology has made life easier. While this may be true in many cases, it has also created new challenges.
For decades, services such as the post office operated with a simple token system, where numbers were displayed clearly at designated counters. Recently, however, even this process has shifted to digital systems that can be confusing without assistance.
Since 1995, I have used a basic prepaid mobile service, which has always met my needs. However, I believe, accessing services such as electricity, healthcare and immigration appointments now effectively requires subscribing to mobile Internet packages. This creates an additional burden for users who previously relied on simpler, offline or computer-based systems.
It is also concerning that service outages are not uncommon. The system being unavailable for more than 24 hours raises questions about monitoring and maintenance, particularly given the essential nature of healthcare services in a welfare state committed to public well-being.
Muhammad
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