RHC is embarking on two new partnerships this summer. And they’re related—all aimed to improve the antenatal care (that is, pregnancy care) that women receive in the communities of Akatsi.
So who are the partners?
Our two new partners are Medic Mobile and InvestED. These two partners do very different work but both utilize technology to improve the lives of people in the developing world. Medic Mobile has developed an app-based patient registration and reminder system to follow women through their pregnancies and encourage them to get the care they need. InvestED creates animated videos and we worked closely with them to develop a new series of videos that the Kekeli Women will be able to show pregnant women and their families, using smartphones, throughout their pregnancy course.
And how will the Medic Mobile and InvestED Partnerships Work?
- Each Kekeli Woman will be given a mobile smart phone for program use.
- Kekeli Women will visit a newly pregnant woman in her home and register her in the Medic-Mobile system using an application. This registration will be seen at the local health facility, with whom we plan to partner over the coming year.
- A series of reminders will be sent at specified times throughout the woman’s pregnancy to remind the Kekeli Woman to visit and encourage the woman to pursue antenatal care.
- The Kekeli Woman will then visit the woman, provide education and advice, and show the woman the animated video (in Ewe!) that corresponds to the stage of pregnancy on her phone.
- The Kekeli Woman then documents the visit in the app, confirming the home visit was completed.
- Kekeli Women will also use the application to relay aspects of the completed pregnancy, including where it took place, who was present (skilled vs unskilled attendant), and if there were any danger signs present. This will help us collect data so we can work to improve outcomes.
How can you help?
We’re glad you asked! Head on over to our Funds for Phones! landing page and you can donate to the project. We are raising $5000 to purchase smartphones and help with the costs associated with these partnerships and the antenatal monitoring program.
