PROMPTS FOR PMTCT

Clinton Health Access Initiative

PROMPTS FOR PMTCT

Digital PMTCT intervention with free AI based SMS to boost maternal, infant outcomes and curb rising HIV among rural youth

Mbabane, Eswatini

SWZ

Nonprofit

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Poverty is an important structural driver of adolescent sexual risk in Eswatini particularly for AYP as it creates an environment conducive to transactional relationships. Without adequate information, AYP are less likely to be able to prevent from becoming infected . Parents and the community rarely communicate with adolescents concerning HIV/ASRH, leaving them vulnerable to STDs and early pregnancy. UNICEF estimated that 70% of urban females aged 15-24 had comprehensive knowledge of PMTCT and only 55% of rural females in the same age group had access to PMTCT knowledge. . Adolescent girls who often engage in sexual relationships for economic and other material reasons have limited possibilities to negotiate for safe sex . The intervention will adequately equip AYP with lifesaving PMTCT knowledge identified by the Ministry of Health as one of the gaps resulting in poor service uptake. It will also stop the cycle of poverty usually experienced by adolescent mothers who fall pregnant while at school and must stop school to care for the baby resulting in limited employment opportunities if at all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFybUKvPqFI PROMPTS relies on SMS technology, which is accessible to 96% of Eswatini’s population, to send mothers information about their newborns health. TROMPTS is delivered via basic feature phones at no cost to mothers. The system begins by sending a series of informative SMS messages covering essential health topics throughout pregnancy and after childbirth, empowering mothers with timely advice to make informed decisions. PROMPTS provides a responsive helpdesk service. This interactive service enhances personalized care and has demonstrated significant improvements in behavior change and health outcomes for both mothers and babies.

The target population includes adolescents and young people (AYP) aged 15–24 and women living with HIV in Eswatini. Annually, about 5,100 teenage pregnancies occur, highlighting the pressing challenge of adolescent pregnancy in the region. These young people, both in and out of school, along with women who face higher HIV prevalence (32.5% for females vs. 20.4% for males), are particularly underserved due to limited access to comprehensive PMTCT knowledge and health services. In rural areas, where only 55% of females aged 15–24 have access to PMTCT information compared to 70% in urban areas, poverty and insufficient community dialogue exacerbate their vulnerability to HIV transmission and early pregnancy .By offering clear and accessible PMTCT guidance through digital tools, the intervention empowers adolescents to make safer health decisions, helps prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission, and reduces the cycle of poverty