Enable Rural & Poor Communities to Access Health services via USSD&SMS

'Hello' Platform ('Hello Me'','Hello Mama', 'Hello Papa', 'Hello Sis', 'Hello Brother' apps) is a platform for enabling health services communications with rural and poor communities via USSD and SMS. The platform enable health practitioners to communicate with their communities cheaply and more easily especially for those without smartphones.

Trust Nick Kaswoswe

The Problem

The majority of people in the world do not have access to a smart phone, the internet, a television or radio. When a pandemic breaks out, most people get health related information via word of mouth. In most cases, by the time the information reaches a person in a rural area, the information is highly distorted. This is mostly true when it concerns pandemics.

There has been a proliferation of mis-information via social media, especially about Covid-19 pandemic and its vaccines.

It would be desirable for local health authorities to disseminate authoritative health related information on a first hand basis and directly to the populace.

We are trying to solve three problems;

1. Making health related information available to as many people as possible
2. Making sure that information in (1) above is from authoritative sources
3. Making sure people have easy access to mediation services

However, the majority of people have access to a feature phone. Feature phones can enable health practitioners to communicate directly to, and with, their population.

Further, provision of health services can be aided by providing timely and relevant information on available services. Direct communications by health professionals can help arrest pandemics and help shape community behaviours.

The 'Hello' solutions serve poorer people who are more likely to not have a smart phone, a television of radio but are likely to have a feature phone.

Further, the 'Hello' solutions are geared for developing countries with high rates of illiteracy, susceptibility to mis-information and high mortality rates due to poverty or need. Local governments can use the platform to provide services such as health services, subsidised transport,  housing alerts and more.

'Hello' is a communication and service tool that uses a technologies that are easily accessible to most poor people - USSD/SMS and feature phones and more.

We have researched how this type of service can help pregnant women in Africa and are developing 'Hello Mama' to provide subsidised transport for pregnant women in collaboration with local authorities.

We provide two 'public goods'

1. A platform and tools to help local health authorities understand the health characteristics of their populace

2. A platform and tools for local health authorities to manage pandemics - specifically - information management and service provision

Ou solution will create two benefits:

1. Give all communities the ability to access health services easily regardless of income

2. Give local health authorities the ability to provide such health services in a dynamic and robust manner.

Take 'Hello Mama' for example:

Pregnancy-related mortality is very high in developing countries on the African continent. Mozambique is no exception, with a rate of 55 deaths over 1,000 births1, compared to the OECD countries' average of 14 /1,000 births. 

Three factors complicate pregnancy:

1) Seeking Care - delay in diagnosis of the emergency 

2) Reaching Care - delay in transport to the health centre

3) Receiving care - delay in access to appropriate care in the health centre.

'Hello Mama' is a new life-saving platform, aiming to bring women in remote communities closer to their nearest health facility by connecting them to formal and informal drivers, allowing expectant mothers to reach obstetric care on time, safely, and at no cost. Likewise, 'Hello Mama' app will be a bridge connecting nurses and pregnant women whenever it is needed. This is especially relevant in the context of COVID19, as pregnant women are facing additional constraints to access health facilities (limitation of movements, reduced income, etc). 

In 2021, we will launch "Hello Mama' in Mozambique and in Zimbabwe. 

In 2022, we will launch "Hello Me" in Mozambique and in Zimbabwe. 

In 2023, we will launch "Hello Me" and "Hello Mama' in the SADC area of Southern Africa

After 2024, we will expand to Southeast Asia and launch in some of its countries.

After that, we expect to penetrate South America and beyond.

Pregnancy-related mortality is very high in developing countries on the African continent. Mozambique is no exception, with a rate of 55 deaths over 1,000 births1, compared to the The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries' average of 14 /1,000 births. 

Three factors complicate pregnancy:

1) Seeking Care - delay in diagnosis of the emergency 

2) Reaching Care - delay in transport to the health centre

3) Receiving Care - delay in access to appropriate care in the health centre

We will measure the Pregnancy-related mortality in Mozambique and other Southern African countries in which 'Hello Mama' will be deployed. Further, we will also measure the variance in Seeking Care, Reaching Care and Receiving Care after we deploy the solution. These measurements will use traditional statistical methods to understand the difference in areas where the solution is deployed from areas where the solution is not deployed.

Politics and Physical Security

Countries have varying policies regarding NGOs and international corporations operating within their borders. Take Mozambique and The Democratic Republic of Congo for example: these countries are currently plagued by armed insurgencies.

Part of 'Hello Mama' includes vetting transport providers for pregnant women. That may entail an actual physical interview. Hence someone has to be on the ground to conduct such an interview with the potential transport provider. There is inherent physical risk.

Contextual Corruption

Contextual Corruption is linked to the environment surrounding the intervention by authorities(corrupt regimes, governments, police forces). Some countries have endemic contextual corruption and will seek to be paid on order to issue operating licences. 

Dilemma

Humanitarian organisations cannot ignore the possible consequences of paying bribes or illegal taxes, especially in armed conflicts. Choosing not to pay can mean that humanitarian needs go unmet and that lives may be lost or the risk of harm increased for NGO staff.

Solution

There are no easy answers to this issue. We will continue to consult with existing NGOS on the ground to see how to best navigate this mine field. 

Financing

We need financing to be able to carry out this project

Lenmicro Limited (U.K)

We feel that should we win The Trinity Challenge prize, that money can help us in financing our operations. While we feel that the barriers in our application are to be reckoned with, we know that the y cannot be solved by money, but by diplomacy. However, our diplomats have to be paid and the process has to be financed ... hence a win would be an indirect way of helping us overcome some of the barriers in our way.

We would like to partner with United Nations Population Fund (UNPF). UNPF is an authoritative wing of the United Nations which has presence in every country. Our service can greatly contribute to their goals and give us 'weight' in dealing with corrupt entities.