Firms target mothers with AI-Powered maternal health support 

Jacaranda Health and eHealth Africa have launched a digital maternal health platform in Kano State aimed at improving access to pregnancy and newborn care information for women, particularly in underserved communities. The platform, known as PROMPTS (Promoting Mothers in Pregnancy and Postpartum Through SMS), delivers health information to pregnant women and new mothers via text […]

Jacaranda Health and eHealth Africa have launched a digital maternal health platform in Kano State aimed at improving access to pregnancy and newborn care information for women, particularly in underserved communities.

The platform, known as PROMPTS (Promoting Mothers in Pregnancy and Postpartum Through SMS), delivers health information to pregnant women and new mothers via text messages in Hausa and English. It is designed to provide guidance throughout pregnancy and the postnatal period, including responses to users’ questions based on established clinical protocols.

The organisations say the programme is expected to reach about 25,000 women in its initial phase in Kano.

PROMPTS has previously been implemented in Kenya, where its developers say it has reached millions of users. Its introduction in Nigeria marks an expansion into West Africa, with local adaptation and rollout being led by eHealth Africa.

Speaking at the launch, Jacaranda Health’s Nigerian representative and Strategic Technical Advisor, Dr Ufuoma Omo-Obi, said Kano presents an opportunity to address maternal health challenges due to the state’s burden of maternal mortality.

“For both organisations, Kano represents an important opportunity to demonstrate impact, given the urgent need to improve maternal health outcomes,” he said.

A senior manager at eHealth Africa, Jamil Galadanci, said the SMS-based design of the platform was intended to ensure accessibility for women without reliable internet access.

“We understand that deploying technology is one thing, but ensuring that end users can access and use it effectively is another,” he said.

Enrollment of participants is expected to be carried out through community health programmes, including the REACH initiative, which operates through primary healthcare facilities.

Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, welcomed the initiative, describing it as supportive of the state’s efforts to reduce maternal and infant mortality.

He said the programme aligns with ongoing efforts to improve maternal health outcomes and called on families and communities to support women’s participation.

Nigeria continues to face challenges in maternal and child health, with limited access to timely and accurate health information identified as a contributing factor, particularly in rural areas. The partners say the programme will be monitored and adjusted based on feedback from users and health workers as implementation progresses.