One-line solution summary:
Combating Maternal and Infant Mortality in Under-served Communities and IDP Camps in Nigeria
Pitch your solution.
MATERNAL AND INFANT MORTALITY
According to the UNICEF “Every single day, Nigeria loses about 2,300 children under five and 145 women of childbearing age. This makes the country the second largest contributor to the under–five and maternal mortality rate in the world.
NATAL CARES
Natal Cares is a social enterprise which leverages on the power of mobile technology and low cost innovation to combat maternal and infant mortality in Nigeria. Primarily focusing on providing mental and emotional healthcare support, medical monitoring and emergency services to at-risk pregnant women and nursing mothers reaching them in their hometowns and villages and advocating for better access to healthcare at primary healthcare centers especially in Under-served communities and IDP Camps.
If scaled, the Natal Cares Solution will positively support the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 3) and the Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Child and Maternal Mortality in Africa.
Film your elevator pitch.
What specific problem are you solving?
In Nigeria, Every 10 minutes, one woman dies on account of pregnancy or childbirth. Also the deaths of newborn babies in Nigeria represent one fourth of the total number of deaths of children under-five. The majority of these deaths occur within the first week of life reflecting the intimate link between newborn survival and the quality of maternal care. Also Up to 85% of this mortality occurs in under-served communities and IDP Camps because of THREE Major reasons;
- The massive broken healthcare chain,
- The broken healthcare information gap and
- The several unhealthy delivery practices by untrained community-healthcare service providers in these vulnerable communities:
PROBLEM WE ARE TRYING TO SOLVE
- A big part of the problem we are trying to solve is as a result of the broken healthcare chain which usually leads to inaccessibility of affordable maternal and newborn care for pregnant women and nursing mothers
- We are addressing the lack of basic healthcare information to help improve the mental, emotional and gynecological health of women irrespective of their background, location or social status.
- We are also addressing the various unhealthy delivery practices in underserved communities which leads to several complications of pregnancy or delivery
What is your solution?
We have developed an ALL-INCLUSIVE innovative solution
In order to bridge the healthcare information gap existing in underserved communities, By harnessing the power of mobile technology, we deliver valuable healthcare information about the symptoms of prenatal conditions, mental and emotional health using SIX preferred indigenous languages sent THREE TIMES every week to Pregnant women and nursing mothers on their BASIC MOBILE PHONES. They don’t need a smart phone to access the service.
For the vulnerable women who cannot read, by harnessing Machine Learning (ML) focusing on Voice Technology through Chabot, Conversational agent and Virtual Assistant, we render voice messages capable of interacting with end-users via voice-activated commands to personalized information within the context of health information.
Now to curb the un-healthy delivery practices: at point of delivery, we have developed a basic, ultra-affordable sterilized delivery kits carefully furnished by our team of doctors containing sterile supplies that pregnant women require at childbirth to ensure safe and hygienic delivery.
Finally, our mobile application is socially inclusive. Pregnant women can now order for their delivery kits online and get it delivered. We help Mothers get immediate referrals to health centers and Doctors during emergency through the Connect-to-Doctor Feature on our Mobile APP.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
Our major target Customers are Pregnant Women, Nursing Mothers and Traditional Birth Attendants living in underserved communities and IDP Camps in Nigeria and in-order to understand their needs, NATAL CARES has an effective local presence in these under-served communities which gives us a first-hand knowledge and experience on what these people are passing through. We are constantly improving the quality of our solutions by engaging our customers and getting constructive criticism and feedback from the use of our products and services.
With our sterilized delivery kit, traditional birth attendants will cease to use old blades and glass to severe umbilical cords, they will no longer have to use their mouth to suck out mucus from baby’s nostrils, Instead of women believing in fables and superstitions they will receive medically approved information regarding health care from our mobile platform. Our Voice Messaging Services ensures that vulnerable women who cannot read at not left behind. Through our Connect-to-Doctor feature, Mothers can now get immediate referrals to Doctors if symptoms indicate a health risk. They also have access to an Immunization Checker which not only educates them on the importance of Immunization but also tracks and ensure that their children have been immunized.
Which dimension of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?
Support the mental and emotional health of women throughout pregnancy and after childbirthExplain how the problem, your solution, and your solution’s target population relate to the Challenge and your selected dimension.
Our solution clearly helps to support the mental-emotional health of women throughout pregnancy and after childbirth. Our customized healthcare messages are sent using SIX Major Indigenous-Languages THREE-TIMES every week to pregnant women on their Basic Mobile-phones which is accessible to all. For those who cannot read, we harness Machine Learning (ML) focusing on Voice Technology to send personalized information within the context of health information. Since the Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) are the backbone of child-delivery in Nigeria, we train them on latest delivery methods and empower them with our Delivery Kits which helps to ensure safe and hygienic delivery
Who is the primary delegate for your solution?
Uche Udekwe
What is your solution’s stage of development?
Growth: An organization with an established product, service, or business model rolled out in one or, ideally, several communities, which is poised for further growthIn what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Akure, NigeriaIf you have additional video content that explains your solution, provide a YouTube or Vimeo link here:
Which of the following categories best describes your solution?
A new application of an existing technologyDescribe what makes your solution innovative.
The Natal Cares Solution is all-inclusive. Unlike other services, we don't leverage on mobile app and web portal alone. We also use Omni-channels like SMS, USSD, Delivery Kits, PODCAST, Facebook free basics & Bot to help improve access to our service irrespective of our user's background, location or social status.
We also provide behavioral change modification using continuous health education and information via our SMS and VOICE Platforms in SIX Major Indigenous languages. Therefore, connecting offline and online care for improved maternal and child health.
We provide pregnant women and nursing mothers the kind of affordable but definitive support that is seriously lacking right now especially in fields like fertility, pregnancy, postpartum care, and children’s health. We build strong support systems for mothers using the power of social networking and low cost innovations. This makes it easy for mothers to access services they care about in real time.
Describe the core technology that powers your solution.
1. USSD CODE: The women in under-served communities and IDP Camps mostly posses basic mobile phones through which they can dial a our code to get life-saving health information. These messages are customized for individual woman’s profile and we offer these messages in SIX main languages in Nigeria (Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, pidgin, English and French)
2. VOICE SERVICES: For the vulnerable pregnant women and nursing mothers who cannot read, by harnessing Machine Learning (ML) focusing on Voice Technology through Chabot, Conversational agent and Virtual Assistant, we render voice messages capable of interacting with end-users via voice-activated commands to personalized information within the context of health information.
3. THE NATAL CARE MOBILE APPLICATION: Through Our Mobile Application We help Mothers get immediate referrals to health centers and Doctors through the Connect-to-Doctor Feature on our APP. It also contains other innovative features such as: Immunization Tracker, Pregnancy Due Date Calculator and a Menstrual Cycle Calendar.
4. THE NATAL CARE PODCASTS: we introduce podcast series for pregnant women especially in IDP Camps. These podcasts contains important issues affecting the health of pregnant women and nursing mothers especially in IDP Camps.
Provide evidence that this technology works.
Mobile Technology and Voice Services through Machine Learning are proven technologies that over the years have been harnessed to make social impact. Instead of pregnant women and nursing mothers believing in fables and superstitions they will receive real and medically approved information regarding health care from our mobile platform. Our Voice Messaging Services ensures that vulnerable women who cannot read at not left behind. Through our Connect-to-Doctor feature on our App, Mothers can now get immediate referrals to health centers and Doctors if symptoms indicate a health risk. They also have access to an Immunization Tracker which not only educates them on the importance of Immunization but also tracks and ensure that their children have been immunized.
With our sterilized delivery kit, traditional birth attendants will cease to use old blades and other sharp objects to severe umbilical cords, they will now have access to our sterilized scalpel blades, midwives in rural. communities will no longer have to use their mouth to suck out mucus to prevent birth asphyxia, they will now use a mucus extractor, a woman giving birth will no longer lay on the bare floor or use a plastic bag sterilized with salt, she will be lying on our sterilized absorbent delivery mat and her baby received with our sterilized infant receiver in our kit.
Please select the technologies currently used in your solution:
What is your theory of change?
As soon as the woman gets pregnant, we register her on our NATAL CARES MESSAGING and VOICE services. These messages would be customized to fit each woman’s profile (which would be ascertained through the basic answers they provide during registration) and is offered in SIX indigenous languages in Nigeria THREE Times a week. This healthcare messages will guide them from their very first week of pregnancy to delivery and until their children gets to 3 years old.
At their Ninth Month, i.e Month of delivery, We have developed a comprehensive delivery kit furnished by our team of Doctors containing all the essential supplies needed by pregnant women especially in under-served communities to ensure safe and hygienic delivery. With our sterilized delivery kit, traditional birth attendants will cease to use rusty blades and glass to severe umbilical cords, they will now have access to scalpel blades, midwives in rural. communities will no longer have to use their mouth to suck out mucus to prevent birth asphyxia, they will now use a mucus extractor, a woman giving birth will no longer lay on the bare floor or use a plastic bag sterilized with salt, she will be lying on our sterilized absorbent delivery mat and her baby received with our sterilized infant receiver. Instead of pregnant women and nursing mothers believing in fables and superstitions they will receive real and medically approved information regarding health care from our mobile platform.
Through our Connect-to-Doctor feature on our App, Mothers can now get immediate referrals to health centers and Doctors if symptoms indicate a health risk. They also have access to an Immunization Tracker which not only educates them on the importance of Immunization but also tracks and ensure that their children have been immunized. Also through our special Natal Cares HELPLINE, pregnant women and nursing mothers from any part of Nigeria can relate directly with our standby medical personnel and get immediate answers to any question bothering them.
Select the key characteristics of your target population.
Which of the UN Sustainable Development Goals does your solution address?
In which countries do you currently operate?
In which countries will you be operating within the next year?
How many people does your solution currently serve? How many will it serve in one year? In five years?
In the last two year, we have disbursed about 11019 delivery kits which has helped to ensure safe births in 26 rural communities in Nigeria. Our sterilized delivery kits help to ensure that pregnant women have a clean, safe and hygienic delivery. We have also economically empowered more 19 women who act as our agents across different communities in Nigeria. We have been able to remind 4094 women of their antenatal and immunization schedule who are actively registered on our mobile platform. In the next FIVE Years, we are working towards projected sales of 1,000,000 kits and at least 120 women as our sales agent. And then a total of 500,000 pregnant women and nursing mothers actively subscribed on our mobile platform.
What are your goals within the next year and within the next five years?
1) USER BASE: Increase our monthly active users to 60,000 mothers monthly.
2) REVENUES: Increase our revenue to $30,000 monthly
3) LEAD GENERATION: Match mothers to 500 maternity and child care service providers monthly
4) EXPANSION: Expand to Ghana, Ethiopia
5) CONTENTS: Provide our contents (text and voice) in 15 major Nigeria local languages to increase adoption
What barriers currently exist for you to accomplish your goals in the next year and in the next five years?
1. CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE
2. STARTUP RISKS
3. SCALE-UP
How do you plan to overcome these barriers?
1. CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE
This is a huge risk mainly due to ignorance. We are mitigating this by providing consistent benefits and value also partnering with appropriate agencies to increase awareness and educate end users on the products and its benefits
2. STARTUP RISKS
Our Company faces basically only execution and startup risks; there is no other risk except some level of financial and product execution risk as well the need for company expansion and Scaling up. The overall environment is very helpful for the company operations and its sales. There is no market and product branding related risk for the company because the company is serving in the necessities of life which are not going to be extinct in near future so the company has a great scope for its products and services.
3. SCALE-UP
Our major challenge is how to scale up quickly. There are more than 54 million pregnant women in under-served communities in Nigeria who do not have access to our delivery kits and other innovative product and services. We are working really hard to overcome this problem through our various scale-up strategies. Scale-Up purposes is also the major reason we are applying for this program
What type of organization is your solution team?
For-profit, including B-Corp or similar modelsHow many people work on your solution team?
5 Full Time
3 Part Time
3 Advisory Board Members
How many years have you worked on your solution?
3
Why are you and your team well-positioned to deliver this solution?
CORE TEAM
Name: Uche Udekwe
Position: Founder/CEO
Education: M.Sc ICT For Development (University of Torino ITALY)
Experience: Certified ICT/Project Manager with 5yrs experience as a project manager
Name: Charles Nnamdi
Position: Chief Technical Officer (CTO)
Education: M.Sc Electrical Electronics Engineering
Experience: 3yrs experience
Name: Sidikat Summonu
Position: Director of Medicals
Education: MSc Nursing/Mid wifery
Experience: 5yrs experience
Name: Joy Chioma
Position: Co-Founder/ Head of Operations
Education: BSc Fisheries/Aquaculture
Experience: 3 years’ experience
Name: Sukanmi Ijatuyi
Position: Software Programmer/Team Lead
Education: B.Engine. Electrical Electronics
Experience: 2 years’ experience
ADVISORY BOARD
- Dr Ebenezer Oniya: Business Coach and Mentor
- Dr Akpan Vincent: H.O.D Department Biomedical Science FUTA
- Dr Aisha Abdulkareem: MBBS, MSc. PH(Health Management) Associate Fellow, NPMCN.
I have over 4 years’ health management experience with PRUNEDGE and Ondo State Ministry of Health. Our Tech Lead has built healthcare and social awareness solutions for SME’s and major organizations. Our director of medicals has 5 years’ experience in public health with the Ondo State ministry of health. Our Operations Lead has a track record of streamlining operational processes. Our Sales Lead’s has pharmaceutical sales background and. Our Advisory board helps in making major and critically decisions for the company.
What organizations do you currently partner with, if any? How are you working with them?
Right Now, We have strong support with Ondo state government
and its ministry of health
What is your business model?
1. We make money by retailing our relatively inexpensive Delivery kit containing essential supplies required at childbirth to ensure a clean, safe and hygienic delivery.
2. Through our Connect-to Doctor service: We take a 20% commission on every successful leads to connect mothers with maternity and child care providers on our platform.
3. Our business model has been tailored towards educated and un-educated pregnant woman and nursing mothers respectively. We make money by offering a fee charge for our message service delivery.
4. We also plan to utilize text/voice message adverts as well as display of paid adverts from popular baby and mother care companies.
Do you primarily provide products or services directly to individuals, or to other organizations?
Individual consumers or stakeholders (B2C)What is your path to financial sustainability?
1. We are engaging traditional birth attendants, community health workers and volunteers to facilitate registration of pregnant women and nursing mothers leveraging on already existing outlets to promote awareness. Use of social media and localized media.
2. We work with various partners in the field to help spread awareness about the issue of importance of cleanliness and sterility at the same time of child birth. We also work with partners that have last mile access to our end customers and beneficiaries. Our business thrives on strong partnerships with individuals and organizations that work in the field of maternal and neonatal health.
3. Due to the fact that most of the problems of Africa in terms of maternal and infant mortality are identical, we will be working with interested organizations and individuals seeking a franchise from us to set up in their own country.
4. We are seeking partnerships with Federal and State governments who will procure our Delivery Kits in large quantities and select local communities where they will be distributed, and NATAL CARES serving as an intermediary to reach these vulnerable women
Why are you applying to Solve?
BUILDING CAPACITY
Being a part of SOLVE will give me a robust platform to further promote and create sustainable and innovative solutions to improve our products and services. My experience at the programme will further help to promote and develop our ideas to scale thereby having a ripple effect on our team. This will help us break barriers and ignite possibilities in maternal and child health across Africa.
NETWORKING
I would love to network and learn from other carefully selected participants and mentors. I will love to learn from their journey, their stories, their successes, their failures, their experiences and their mistakes. I also love to receive feedback about my startup and grow from the feedback received. I believed that been associated with SOLVE as Participant is a very strong validation for the work we are doing in promoting Maternal and child healthcare not just only in Nigeria but also in Africa.
SUPPORT NETWORK
This program will provide access to effective support networks with experience in scaling technology and infrastructure seamlessly especially in the area of using Artificial Intelligence to personalize contents and matching of mothers service providers based on their persona and stage of pregnancy and parenting
In which of the following areas do you most need partners or support?
Please explain in more detail here.
SOLVE can advance my work by connecting my organisation to leading mentors and networks within the space my organisation currently works.
We also work with partners that have last mile access to our end customers and beneficiaries. Our business thrives on strong partnerships with individuals and organizations that work in the field of maternal and neonatal health.
Solution Team
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UCHE UDEKWE CEO/FOUNDER, NATAL CARES
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Solution Name:
NATAL CARES