MIT Solve

Solution Overview

Solution Name:

Community Health Solution, Uganda

One-line solution summary:

mHealth:Connecting midwives and mothers.

Pitch your solution.

mHealth: connecting and educating midwives and mothers to improve their relationship in order to reduce maternal and newborn mortalities.

Support midwives -clients (mothers) partnerships and engagements to drive maternal and newborn care through technology using a website that support a two way sms mobile phone platform.

The mothers knowledge will be enhanced in terms of awareness for the importance of good maternal and newborn care and their rights to receive quality health care services. If this solution is scaled globally it would drastically reduce maternal and newborn mortalities. No mother should die while giving a life.

What specific problem are you solving?

Globally, reduction of maternal and new born mortality remains a high priority in the Sustainable Development targets as unfinished MDG agenda. In 2013, about 0.3 million women died as result of pregnancy related causes. Sub-Saharan Africa alone contributed more than half of these deaths. Uganda is among those countries struggling with high maternal mortality rates at 336/100,000 live births. Globally 2.7 million neonatal deaths and a similar number of still births occur. Neonatal mortality in Uganda is estimated to be 27 deaths per 1000 live births and accounts for 45% of the under-five mortality. Lack of community awareness about availability of maternal and newborn services, poor relationship between midwives and mothers (lack of customer car) and poor referral systems among others are the causes of high mortality rates among mothers and newborn.

What is your solution?

mHealth- helps midwives and their clients (mothers) to build partnerships with each other through a mobile phone messaging app that uses local language. This customer care education product has three components:

1. Midwives sending (maternal and newborn) educational messages to their clients in the communities.

2. Clients giving feedback on the messages/ asking questions to midwives for answers.

3.Midwives sending reminders to their clients for important dates like antenatal care, expected deliveries, child immunizations, postnatal care, family planning e.t.c)

Personalized education will be provided for different clients ( expectant mothers, mothers with new born, Family planning, immunization, Antenatal care )

Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?

The target population will be the expectant mothers and mothers with the newborn babies.

I conducted a survey on the reproductive health challenges and I engaged mother in a focused group discussion where I found that the major challenge facing them is un friendly relationship between them and midwives at health facilities.

With customer care education, we are unlocking the barrier between midwives and mothers/ clients.

My vision is to expand to serve millions of families and midwives in Uganda through technology so that no mother is left behind.

Which dimension of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?

Expand access to high-quality, affordable care for women, new mothers, and newborns

In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?

Ntungamo District, Uganda

What is your solution’s stage of development?

Concept: An idea being explored for its feasibility to build a product, service, or business model based on that idea

Who is the primary delegate for your solution?

Byamukama Topher - Director