Phones speeding up emergency response in Bauchi’

 Women in rural communities throughout Bauchi can now call in emergencies at the press of a button, according to a new project in the state. The Bauchi Opportunities for Responsive Neonatal and Maternal Health (BORN) project implemented by Plan International Nigeria has provided 2475 basic mobile phones for distribution to selected women in communities to […]

 Women in rural communities throughout Bauchi can now call in emergencies at the press of a button, according to a new project in the state.

The Bauchi Opportunities for Responsive Neonatal and Maternal Health (BORN) project implemented by Plan International Nigeria has provided 2475 basic mobile phones for distribution to selected women in communities to improve referral to primary health centres.

“We work with a group of women in communities. When they have that, they can be able to make emergency calls for interventions,” explained Hussaini Abdu, country director for Plan International Nigeria, at the handover of the provision to Bauchi state government.

The donation includes 219 Android smart phones stationed in health facilities—and 25 laptops linked to data centres—as part of a growing network for collecting and streaming data.

“If you don’t have data, you are not able to plan. If you are not able to plan effectively, then you cannot have a sustainable programme,” said Abdu.

“We have a data management system that will use the laptops. The data runs into the laptop from the Android, it is analysed and goes straight to the national data centre. We think that will help the state and federal government in data management and data collection for effective planning and sustainable development.”

The BORN project, funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented in 10 local government areas of Bauchi, also donated 6,000 units of delivery kits and three ambulances for emergency maternal services.

Abdu said the state government could scale up emergency maternal services by adding its own ambulances.