Privacy Policy for the Afromed App

Effective Date:February 21, 2026

This Privacy Policy describes Our policies and procedures on the collection, use, and disclosure of Your information when You use the Afromed mobile application (the "Service") and tells You about Your privacy rights and how the law protects You.

We use Your Personal Data to provide and improve the Service. By using the Service, You agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect and Use

To provide our emergency services effectively, we need to collect certain personally identifiable information. The types of data we collect are directly related to the app's core functionality.

1.1. Personal Data You Provide to Us

• Phone Number: We require your phone number for user authentication and account registration via Firebase Authentication. This is essential to secure your account and ensure you are a real user.
• Contact Information (Optional): You may be able to provide contact details for emergency contacts. This information is used solely to notify them during an emergency situation you trigger.

1.2. Sensitive Data Collected Automatically with Your Permission

• Precise Geolocation Data (GPS Coordinates): The primary function of our app is to provide emergency assistance, which requires knowing your exact location. We collect your precise location only when you are actively using the app and have granted location permissions. This data is critical for dispatching emergency services to you accurately.

1.3. Usage Data

Usage Data is collected automatically when using the Service. This may include information such as your device's Internet Protocol (IP) address, device type, operating system, the time and date of your use, and other diagnostic data. This helps us to improve app performance and diagnose issues.

2. How We Use Your Information

The information we collect is used strictly for purposes that are essential to the functionality of the Afromed emergency service.

• To Provide Emergency Services: Your phone number and, most importantly, your precise location are used to dispatch and coordinate emergency response when you request assistance.
• To Manage Your Account: Your phone number is used to manage your registration and give you access to the app's features.
• To Communicate With You: We may use your contact information to send you critical updates or notifications related to the service.
• To Improve Our Service: We use anonymized Usage Data for analytics to monitor app performance, identify trends, and enhance user experience.

3. Sharing and Disclosure of Your Information

We do not sell your personal data. We only share your information with third parties under the following specific circumstances:

• With Emergency Service Providers: When you trigger an emergency alert, we will share your location and necessary account details with relevant emergency responders (e.g., ambulance services, security partners) to facilitate assistance.
• With Third-Party Service Providers: We use third-party services to help operate our app. These include:
  • Google Play Services & Firebase Authentication: Used for phone number verification, account management, and providing the underlying infrastructure for our app. Their use of data is governed by Google's Privacy Policy.
• For Legal Compliance: We may disclose your personal information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court or a government agency).

4. Data Security

We are committed to protecting your data. We implement secure data handling procedures and use technologies like HTTPS to encrypt data in transit. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your Personal Data, we advise that no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure.

5. Data Retention and Deletion

We will retain your Personal Data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy, or to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations. If you delete your account, we will take steps to remove your information from our active servers.

6. Your Rights and Choices

You have control over the information you provide to us.

• Location Services: You can enable or disable location services at any time through your device settings. Please note that disabling location will prevent the core emergency features of the app from functioning.
• Access and Deletion: You have the right to request access to or deletion of your personal data. You can do so by contacting us directly.

7. Children's Privacy

Our Service does not target anyone under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children under 13. If We become aware that We have collected Personal Data from anyone under the age of 13 without verification of parental consent, We take steps to remove that information from Our servers.

8. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update Our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.

9. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, You can contact us:

• By email: admin@afromed.co.za
• By visiting this page on our website: Afromed.co.za