ROCICI EMPOWERMENT & ENT. DEVELOPMENT

Our Pitch 

The problem we are committed to solving is the high maternal and newborn death rate in Nigeria which currently stood at 917 death per 100,000 live birth and 76 death per 1,000 live birth among newborn in 2018.

Our Solution

Our solution is to support maternal and newborn care in Ebonyi State Nigeria,through technological intervention for improved access to adequate and quality information relating to maternal and newborn. Specifically,we connect pregnant women and mothers of newborns to relevant  experts in other to reduce the current high rate of maternal and newborn mortality which currently stood at  about 20% in the state  as at 2019 NBC report.

With  REED application model, we are unlocking the incredible yet untapped connectivity and trust between rural pregnant women and mother of newborns in rural communities with medical experts to improve their health. Our vision will expand to serve billions of people globally

Problem:The specific problem within the challenge that we are working to solve is  lack of access to right information and practices that will improve maternal and newborn health among the most vulnerable group in the rural communities of Ebonyi State Nigeria.

Scale of the Problem:  2018 health  statistics in Nigeria on maternal and newborn health shows  a death of  917 death per 100,000 live birth (Maternal) and 76 death per 1,000 live birth among newborn.

Nigeria is  the 4th  country in the world with the highest maternal and newborn death rate.

Researchers shows that in 2019 and early 2020, the death rate in terms of maternal & newborn has risen up by 30% in some rural communities in Ebonyi State. This hike is  occasioned by both economic drawbacks and the covid 19 pandemic.

According to 2018 Nigerian Bureau of Statistics report about 21.6% of pregnant women in Ebonyi State do not go for ante natal once throughout their period of pregnancy

Factors contributing to it include:-

•  Lack of maternal and newborn health education in rural communities in Nigeria.
•   Lack of access to relevant health, experts in maternal and newborn
•  Lack of guide when faced with maternal and newborn  related challenges.

Solution

ROCICI Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Development helps pregnant women and newborn mother interact with relevant medical expert through an intermediary called caregiver build with ultimate goal of impacting positive  on maternal and newborn health in the rural communities.

This will be greatly achieved  through:

•  Training of community care givers on the use of our REED mobile application and deployment of our mobile application  to document, profile and manage the progressing of pregnancies and newborn in the communities.
•  Opening up channel of maternal and newborn health education  and interaction between pregnant women/ newborn mother on one side and the medical experts.
•  Transmission of timely data and development during pregnancy and that of newborn to a central website (collation website) for further analysis by relevant medical experts 
•  Working with the trained care giver to identify potential referral/critical cases for special  referral attention
•  Development of basic minimum strategy for the management of maternal and newborn health so as to  improve the quality of their health generally

The target population whose lives we are working to directly and meaningfully improve is about 723,314 representing a percentage of female population of the state and newborn. The 723,314 is made up of women currently bearing children and newborn within  one year (both male and female.) 

What we are doing already.

We have already already done a feasibility study to understand that their greatest challenge is lack of right and adequate education/ information to aid them during pregnancy  and new born care. Secondly we have also developed a mobile application as you can confirm from our video as attached. We are also working to roll out the website.

However, our solution is targeted at reducing the current maternal and newborn death rate by 50% within one year of operation in any community where our technology and strategies are fully deployed.

Specifically, we are working to solve the problem of   lack of access to right information and practices that will improve maternal and newborn health among the most vulnerable group in the rural communities of Ebonyi State Nigeria. Ebonyi state where my population is drawn in 2020  ranked  the third most poorest state in Nigeria by Nigeria Bureau of Statistics. About 21.6% of pregnant women in Ebonyi State do not attend ante natal clinic once throughout their period of pregnancy. Therefore my solution to educate,inform  and link them to where they can be assisted is in line with the challenge.

Maternal care in most countries in Africa does not involve the use of technology ,especially in interacting with pregnant women and newborn outside a health care facility. Healthcare appointments intervals for these vulnerable group for a small percentage who go for antenatal takes an average of 50 days, Conditions that lead to high maternal and newborn death are made worse by this gap( 50 days). This however can pose a great risk. Our solution has therefore bridged the gap by ensuring the existence of a trained  community care giver who will readily be on ground to monitor these group on a 4 days interval. The trained care giver will be a middle person between the group and the medical expert who through access to the website and mobile application monitor these vulnerable group. Provide necessary information and care that will boast their health thereby reducing the current high death rate 9 Maternal and newborn death rate) by 50% in the first year of application in any community where our strategies becomes operational.

Our solve solution is anchored on  tech based ante/post natal care services. This program will be powered by REED mobile application to be linked to REED website.

REED APP is a software application for both desktop and mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. 

Here are basic things REED APP users can do:

1. Send and receive notification from the community caregivers

2. Get news on health related matters

3. Conversation with professional health analysts

4. Collation and submission of data to REED website

https://photos.app.goo.gl/kuvP...

The humanitarian value that our team wants to produce is the reduction in the prevalence of  maternal and newborn mortality through a tech-based ante/postnatal care services. To achieve this, REED would focus much attention on pregnant and nursing mothers in rural parts of Ebonyi state because this set of individuals do not have access to quality health care due to lack of well-structured health centres in the rural parts of the state.

Our team of community caregivers will move from house to house and collect data of pregnant and nursing mothers and equally install REED APP in their phones where necessary so that they can easily keep in touch with professional health analyst and the community caregivers too.

Our team will collate and submit the data to professional health analyst through the REED website. The data will be analysed and recommendation will be giving.

It is expected that all pregnant and nursing mother will have access to quality health care through our tech based ante/postnatal cares.

According to Nigeria Bureu of Statistics, the population of Ebonyi state in 2014, 2015 and 2016 was 2723515, 2800851 and 2880383 respectively. This represent about 2.84 increase per year. 

Though REED has not started operation, but using the above rate, the total birth in 2020 is estimated to 88972. and 91499 in 2021. In five years, the total birth is expected to be approximately 100000

Support maternal and newborn care in  Ebonyi State Nigeria  through technological intervention for improved access for adequate / quality information relating to maternal & newborn cares create options to facilitate maternal newborn health services.

The primary aim of REED is to reduce  maternal and newborn mortality rate  in rural communities of operation by 50% within one year  and to reduce it further 5% in the next five years.

This  will be achieved through:

•  The use of our mobile application to document, profile and manage the progression of pregnancies and newborn healthcare in the community.
•  Training of community care givers on the use of our REED model application to document, profile and manage the progressing of pregnancies and newborn in the countries
•  Opening up channel of maternal and newborn health education and interaction between pregnant women/ newborn mother on one side and the medical experts.
•  Transmission of timely data and development during pregnancy and that of newborn to a central website (collation website) for further analysis by relevant medical experts.
•  Working with the trained  care giver to identify potential referral/critical cases for special attention
•  Developing a model/template that will an acceptable basis maternal and newborn health management strategies that will  improve the quality of their health in this regards.

REED will play the key roles. However we will partner with 13 local government council in the state for  advocacy ,security of  our personnel.We will also partner with management of Federal Teaching Hospital (FETHA) Abakaliki Ebonyi State for sourcing of Medical Experts.

Financial barriers.

1 Hosting of the website and mobile application

2  Payment of monthly allowances for the 26 care givers (2 care givers foe each of the 13 local councils x 12 months x 5 years.

3 Mobility for the 26 care givers .

4 Mobility for REED officials for proper inspection, monitoring and evaluation

Financial barriers./ solutions

1 Hosting of the website and mobile application/Solution :To be funded by contributions by REED team members and donations

2  Payment of monthly allowances for the 26 care givers (2 care givers foe each of the 13 local councils x 12 months x 5 years./ Solution :ROCICI Agro Processing Integrated Limited and other Donors and awrds

Mobility for the 26 care givers Solution :.ROCICI Agro Processing Integrated Limited and other Donors and awards

4 Mobility for REED officials for proper inspection, monitoring and evaluation/Solution :  ROCICI Agro Processing Integrated Limited and other Donors and awards

I did not select others

26 Full time staff- 2 staff (community care givers) in each of the 13 local governments in Ebonyi state

13 part time staff- (Health specialist/medical consultants ) in each local government

2  Full time staff- 1 data analyst and 1 staff for medical record and analysis

4  Part time Management team to coordinate  activities of other staff both part time and full time staff.

(1) Dr Robert Nnachi  Team leader-  is a  lecturer and researcher with Federal University Ikwo Ebonyi State. He is so skilled in human development strategies with 20 years experience.He has published over 20 research paper in both local and international journals, worked with several agencies funded by international organizations. In 2018 he presented conference paper at Harvard University Boston  U.S.A on sustainability.

(2) Dr Oluomachi Charity Nnachi 1: Member: Medical Consultant  with Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki with over 10 years experience in maternal and newborn health 

(3) Mr. Chinedu Okah  Member 2: IT expert working on the development of  software mobile application and internet development. He has 10 years of experience in software development and a consultant to 4 software businesses

(4) Mr. Emmanuel Nwogboji Member 3: Medical record Analyst/ statistician and Accountant. In 2019, he joined financial inclusion program which was established by central bank of Nigeria to increase number of adults who have access to financial institution by 80%. He led a group of 15 educators in sensitizing over 500 individuals in rural areas within three months on constraints that exclude them from financial institutions

REED is currently partnering with ROCICI Agro Processing Integrated Limited, Tech Ltd , Religious organizations, and Verizon Integrated Research Centre.

The primary goal of the partnership include:

1. Tech Ltd: To develop and maintain reliable and functional REED APP and website

2.ROCICI Agro Processing Integrated Limited: To get financial assistance

3. Verizon Integrated Research Centre : To get access to accurate data analysis

4. Religious centres: To create awareness of our program

5.  Local government areas: To support with security and accommodation.

The key activity of REED is network based health problem solving. This activity will be carried out in order to create value proposition.

Our value proposition focuses on ante and post natal care services to reduce maternal and infants mortality in Ebonyi state, and the world at large.

Though the service is tailored for all pregnant and nursing mothers, our focus is centered on those in rural areas. The survey conducted by our team research analyst shows that people in rural areas traveled a distance of about 10 to 15 kilometres to attend ante and post natal care in private clinics. Most of these clinics lack basic equipment and professional health analysts. This even discourages pregnant and nursing mothers from seeking medical attention in those available places

As such, REED will assign a dedicated community care giver who will collect data from pregnant and nursing mothers using REED App. the data will be forwarded to professional health analyst in the capital city through the REED website.

Pregnant and nursing mothers will also have access to REED App and website through their membership ID. This will help them submit information about their health to a professional health analyst.

REED will earn revenue from the above value proposition through subscription fees and selling of drugs at subsidized rate to the beneficiaries. 

The estimated revenue for four years is based on the increase in population of Ebonyi state by 2.84% as projected by Nigeria Bureau of statistics in 2017.  

presently, we have mobilized $3,000 through members contributions and donations from other individuals and organizations.  

REED forecasts financial sustainability in the fourth year of operation, mainly by support from ROCICI Agro Processing Integrated Limited, charging modest subscription fee,donations and grants.

For now, we have to be financed by a combination of grant and donations. Our aim is to secure all funding necessary to bridge the coming years, before we get to November 2020. 

Nwogboji Emmanuel, an associate chartered accountant and our team research analyst, helped us refine a business plan that positions us to secure a soft loan; and we have a long list of organizations to meet over the next few months. Again, to achieve our strategic intent of meeting the needs of our beneficiaries in the long term and in a sustainable manner, REED will build financial reserves after the break-even. This will help us strategically manage and maintain strong stakeholder relationship.

Funding: Our plan is to start operation by first month of 2021. This can only be possible if we are able to raise the expected fund for the solution. The total fund required to fully establish REED and run the program successfully for 5 years is $500,000. Getting the fund is a challenge, hence our application to SOLVE for financial support in order to drive  this lasting, impactful and life changing programme on maternal and newborn health in the rural communities of Ebonyi State Nigeria which will be replicated across other communities globally. 

The financial support from SOLVE will help in the following areas:

1. Remuneration of the community caregivers

2. Purchase of vehicles/equipment and  motorcycles for the community caregivers to enable them reach out to pregnant and newborns in the rural areas of the state.

3 Improve our technology (APP, Website and other internet services)

4 Daily running cost/ maintenance

5 Allowances for  other part time  staff

6 Research and Development

Solution technology: REED needs a sensitive APP and functional website. Partnering with seasoned programmers will enhance the reliability and functionality of REED APP and website.

Product/service distribution: The objective of this program won’t be actualized if there is no available drugs for beneficiaries. Thus, REED has opted for strategic alliance with pharmaceutical firms to ensure all relevant drugs are made available when they are needed.

Marketing, media, and exposure: If the potential beneficiaries of our program are not aware of our services, the entire efforts would be exercise in futility. In that case, REEd would partner with traditional rulers, ward councilors, youth leaders, preists and pastors who will help in keeping pregnant and nursing mothers informed

Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (FETHA): The professional health analyst in federal teaching hospital in the capital city will analyse the data collated through REED APP and website. As such, REED will work closely with FETHA  in sourcing manpower (medical consultants)to ensure quality maternal and newborn care to individuals in all nooks and crannies of the state.

Pharmaceutical Firms in Nigeria: REED has opted for strategic alliance with:

Dubem Pharmacy Abakaliki

Mid Term Pharmacy Abakaliki

The above companies will be in charge of providing relevant basic drugs for our beneficiaries.

Community Clinics: Survey from our research analyst shows that there are private clinics in some communities.  REED will partner with these clinics to enhance the quality of service delivery; especially in times of emergency.

Religious Organizations like churches: They will assist in creating awareness.

We are qualified because our solution is 100% women base. We will use the Innovation for women prize to improve maternal and newborn health education technologically in many other communities where we are not covering presently.

REED has been strategically structured to reduce marternal and infant mortality in Ebonyi state by 50% in 2021 and 80% in 2022 using a network based problem solving approach.

Presently, we have launched a sensitive REED APP  and our website (REED.com) will also be launched in next few months.

We have 26 volunteered persons undergoing training for as community caregivers.

We are currently in the process of registering REED under corporate Affair Commission (CAC).

We have mobilized the sum of $6, 000 through donations and contributions. However, our team will utilize Health Workforce Innovation Prize to  boost financial sustainability of REED and also extend the coverage of our services.

Currently, our budgeted expenses is for about 20% of each local government. this is grossly inadequate. Workforce Innovation Prize will help us to cover above 80% of each local government.

We are qualified because our solution is 100% women base. We will use the Innovation for women prize to improve maternal and newborn health education technologically in many other communities where we are not covering presently.

We have mobilized the sum of $6, 000 through donations and contributions. However, our team will utilize Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation Founded Award  to  boost financial sustainability of REED and also extend the coverage of our services.

Currently, our budgeted expenses is for about 20% of each local government. this is grossly inadequate. Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation Funded Award  will help us to cover above 80% of each local government.