BloomCare

The problem that BloomCare is solving is the limited access to quality maternal healthcare services, particularly in underserved regions of Tanzania.

In Tanzania, 556 women die per 100,000 live births due to pregnancy-related complications, one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. Additionally, the country's neonatal mortality rate stands at 22 deaths per 1,000 live births, with many of these deaths preventable through timely and appropriate care.

The primary factors contributing to this problem include geographical barriers, socioeconomic disparities, and a shortage of healthcare infrastructure and personnel, especially in rural areas. An estimated 51% of Tanzanian women live more than 5 kilometers away from the nearest health facility, making it challenging to regularly access prenatal, childbirth, and postnatal care.

Furthermore, out-of-pocket healthcare costs often pose a significant financial burden, deterring many pregnant women from seeking professional medical attention. This is particularly concerning, as 26.4% of Tanzania's population lives below the national poverty line, making healthcare inaccessible for a significant portion of the population.

Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that 295,000 women died during and following pregnancy and childbirth in 2017. The majority of these deaths occurred in low-resource settings, where access to quality maternal healthcare remains a critical challenge. Addressing this problem is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of reducing the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030.

BloomCare's solution is a mobile messaging platform that connects pregnant women in underserved Tanzanian communities with midwives and healthcare providers, enabling them to receive comprehensive maternal healthcare services.

The platform utilizes a combination of SMS and WhatsApp messaging to facilitate regular communication between expectant mothers and their designated healthcare providers. Pregnant women can use the platform to schedule appointments, receive timely information and guidance on prenatal care, childbirth preparation, and postpartum recovery, as well as ask questions and receive personalized support.

On the backend, the platform integrates with existing healthcare systems to streamline coordination and data management. Midwives and healthcare providers can use the platform to monitor the progress of their patients, flag any potential complications, and ensure that women receive the necessary care at the appropriate stages of their pregnancy.

The technology behind BloomCare includes a user-friendly mobile application, a secure cloud-based platform for data management and communication, and predictive analytics capabilities to identify high-risk pregnancies and proactively address potential issues. By leveraging the widespread adoption of mobile devices in Tanzania, the solution aims to overcome geographical barriers and provide accessible maternal healthcare services to women in remote and underserved areas.

BloomCare's solution primarily serves pregnant women and new mothers in underserved communities across Tanzania, with a focus on rural and remote areas.

These women often face significant barriers in accessing quality maternal healthcare services, including geographical distances to healthcare facilities, financial constraints, and cultural or social norms that limit their ability to seek care. As a result, they are disproportionately affected by high maternal and infant mortality rates in the country.

For example, in the Mwanza region of Tanzania, the maternal mortality ratio is as high as 651 deaths per 100,000 live births, more than double the national average. Additionally, neonatal mortality rates can reach up to 31 deaths per 1,000 live births in some rural districts, highlighting the urgent need for improved access to maternal and child healthcare.

By connecting these women with midwives and healthcare providers through the BloomCare mobile platform, the solution aims to have a direct and meaningful impact on their lives. Pregnant women will be able to receive regular check-ups, timely information and guidance on pregnancy-related issues, and personalized support from their healthcare providers, even if they live in remote areas.

This improved access to maternal healthcare services can lead to earlier detection and management of complications, better birth preparedness, and enhanced postpartum care, ultimately reducing maternal and infant mortality rates in the communities served. Furthermore, the solution empowers women to take a more active role in their own healthcare, fostering a sense of agency and improving their overall well-being.

The BloomCare team is uniquely positioned to deliver this transformative maternal healthcare solution in Tanzania, drawing on their deep understanding of the local context and strong connections within the communities they serve.

The team is led by Jesca Chaula, a Tanzanian social entrepreneur with over a decade of experience working in the healthcare sector. Jesca has a strong track record of designing and implementing technology-driven solutions to address pressing healthcare challenges in underserved regions of the country.

Joining Jesca on the BloomCare team are three other Tanzanian experts:

• Neema Mwaisela, a registered midwife with extensive experience working in rural clinics, who will lead the development of the platform's clinical content and ensure it aligns with the needs of pregnant women and healthcare providers.
• Asha Mbwaga, a data scientist and public health specialist, who will oversee the integration of predictive analytics and performance monitoring capabilities to enhance the platform's impact and scalability.
• Goodluck Mallya, a mobile technology expert, who will be responsible for the design and user experience of the BloomCare mobile app, drawing on his deep understanding of the local context and technology adoption patterns.

The BloomCare team has spent considerable time engaging with and learning from the target communities, ensuring that the solution is built on a foundation of local insights and co-created with the end-users. Through focus group discussions, needs assessments, and ongoing feedback mechanisms, the team has ensured that the platform's features and functionalities directly address the unique challenges faced by pregnant women in Tanzania's underserved regions.

For the BloomCare solution, we have currently reached the Pilot stage. The platform has been launched in two rural communities in the Mwanza region of Tanzania, where it has been serving over 512 pregnant women and new mothers.

During the pilot phase, the BloomCare team has been actively engaged with the target communities, collecting feedback and iterating on the platform's design and functionality to ensure it aligns with the users' needs and preferences. This co-creation process has been crucial in shaping the solution and enhancing its user-friendliness and relevance.

The pilot has also allowed the team to test the technical feasibility of the platform, including the integration with existing healthcare systems and the reliability of the SMS and WhatsApp-based communication channels. Through this process, the team has been able to refine the platform's features and address any operational challenges.

The pilot has provided valuable data on the platform's impact, including improvements in antenatal care attendance, birth preparedness, and postpartum follow-up rates among the participating pregnant women. This data is being used to validate the solution's effectiveness and inform the team's plans for scaling the platform to reach more underserved communities in Tanzania.

While the solution is still in the pilot stage, the BloomCare team has secured initial funding from local impact investors and is actively exploring opportunities for further investment and partnerships to support the next phase of growth and expansion.

By applying to Solve, the BloomCare team hopes to overcome several key barriers that have hindered the wider adoption and scalability of our maternal healthcare solution in Tanzania.

First and foremost, the financial resources and funding opportunities provided by Solve would be invaluable in supporting the continued growth and expansion of our platform. As a social enterprise, we have faced challenges in securing the necessary investment capital to scale our operations and reach more communities in need. The Solve Solver Award, as well as the potential to access additional funding through the various prizes offered, would provide a significant boost to our efforts.

Secondly, Solve's extensive network of partners and mentors would be instrumental in helping us navigate the complex legal and regulatory landscape in Tanzania. Navigating the country's healthcare system and ensuring our platform aligns with the relevant policies and standards is a critical but often daunting task. The guidance and connections facilitated by Solve could be a game-changer in overcoming these barriers.

Finally, Solve's commitment to fostering a global community of innovators and its focus on human-centered design resonate deeply with our team's values and approach. We believe that the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with other Solver teams, as well as Solve's expert advisors, would be invaluable in helping us refine our solution and better understand the cultural nuances that shape maternal healthcare in Tanzania.

By joining the Solve community, the BloomCare team is confident that we can accelerate the positive impact of our solution and make significant strides towards improving maternal and infant health outcomes in underserved Tanzanian communities.

The BloomCare solution is innovative in several key ways:

Firstly, it leverages the widespread adoption of mobile technology in Tanzania to address the persistent challenge of limited access to maternal healthcare services, especially in remote and underserved communities. By utilizing a combination of SMS and WhatsApp messaging, BloomCare connects pregnant women directly with midwives and healthcare providers, overcoming geographical barriers and empowering women to receive the care they need, regardless of their location.

Secondly, the platform's focus on data-driven, personalized care is a significant departure from the traditional, one-size-fits-all approach to maternal healthcare delivery in Tanzania. By integrating predictive analytics and real-time monitoring capabilities, BloomCare can identify high-risk pregnancies and proactively intervene, improving health outcomes for both mothers and infants.

The solution's emphasis on co-creation and community engagement sets it apart from many top-down, technology-driven interventions. By actively involving the target communities in the design and implementation of the platform, BloomCare ensures that the solution is tailored to the unique needs and preferences of the women it serves, fostering a sense of ownership and increasing the likelihood of long-term adoption.

If successful, the BloomCare model has the potential to catalyze broader positive impacts in the maternal healthcare landscape in Tanzania and beyond. By demonstrating the effectiveness of a technology-enabled, community-driven approach to addressing access barriers, the solution could inspire other innovators and healthcare providers to explore similar models, ultimately leading to a more equitable and resilient maternal healthcare system.

The platform's scalability and potential for integration with existing healthcare infrastructure make it an attractive solution for policymakers and funders seeking to drive systemic change in the provision of maternal care services.

The BloomCare solution's theory of change is built on the premise that improving access to quality maternal healthcare services can lead to significant improvements in maternal and infant health outcomes in underserved Tanzanian communities.

By connecting pregnant women with midwives and healthcare providers through a mobile messaging platform, BloomCare aims to achieve the following immediate outputs:

• Increased attendance of antenatal care visits among pregnant women in target communities.
• Improved communication and care coordination between expectant mothers and their designated healthcare providers.
• Timely identification and management of pregnancy-related complications.

These immediate outputs are expected to lead to the following intermediate outcomes:

• Increased birth preparedness and improved postpartum care practices among new mothers.
• Reduced incidence of maternal and neonatal complications, such as preeclampsia, postpartum hemorrhage, and sepsis.
• Improved maternal and infant health indicators, including reduced maternal and neonatal mortality rates.

The evidence supporting these linkages is drawn from a recent study conducted in a similar rural setting in Tanzania, which found that the introduction of a mobile health intervention led to a 23% increase in the number of women attending their recommended antenatal care visits, as well as a 15% decrease in the rate of postpartum hemorrhage.

By addressing the key barriers to accessing maternal healthcare, such as geographical distance and financial constraints, the BloomCare solution is expected to have a long-term impact on improving overall health equity and reducing socioeconomic disparities in the target communities.

Through continuous monitoring and evaluation, the BloomCare team will gather additional evidence to validate and refine the solution's theory of change, ensuring that the platform remains responsive to the evolving needs of the women it serves.

The overarching impact goal of the BloomCare solution is to improve maternal and infant health outcomes in underserved communities across Tanzania. Specifically, we aim to:

• Reduce the maternal mortality ratio in our target communities by 30% within the next 3 years.
• Decrease the neonatal mortality rate in our target communities by 25% within the next 3 years.
• Increase the percentage of pregnant women receiving at least 4 antenatal care visits by 40% within the next 3 years.

To measure our progress towards these impact goals, we are tracking the following key indicators:

• Maternal mortality ratio (number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births)
• Neonatal mortality rate (number of neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births)
• Percentage of pregnant women receiving at least 4 antenatal care visits
• Percentage of pregnant women with identified high-risk conditions receiving appropriate interventions
• Percentage of postpartum women receiving a postnatal care visit within 2 weeks of delivery

We collect this data through the BloomCare platform, which integrates with local health information systems and enables real-time monitoring of maternal and child health indicators. Additionally, we conduct periodic surveys and interviews with our target beneficiaries to gather qualitative feedback and deeper insights into the platform's impact on their lives.

By closely monitoring these indicators, we can continuously evaluate the effectiveness of our solution, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions to enhance the platform's impact. This rigorous approach to monitoring and evaluation is crucial to ensuring that the BloomCare solution delivers meaningful and sustainable improvements in maternal and infant health outcomes.

The core technology powering the BloomCare solution is a mobile messaging platform that leverages a combination of SMS and WhatsApp communication channels to connect pregnant women in underserved Tanzanian communities with their designated midwives and healthcare providers.

At the heart of the platform is a user-friendly mobile application that serves as the primary interface for both the expectant mothers and the healthcare professionals. 

The app features a range of functionalities, including:

1. Appointment scheduling and management: Pregnant women can use the app to schedule antenatal care visits, receive reminders, and manage their healthcare appointments.

2. Maternal health information and guidance: The app provides users with timely, personalized information on pregnancy-related topics, such as nutrition, birth preparedness, and postpartum care.

3. Direct messaging with healthcare providers: Expectant mothers can send messages, photos, and audio recordings to their midwives and obstetricians, enabling real-time communication and personalized support.

4. Predictive analytics and risk identification: The platform's backend systems analyze user data to detect potential complications or high-risk pregnancies, allowing healthcare providers to intervene proactively.

The core technology behind the BloomCare platform includes a secure, cloud-based infrastructure that integrates with existing healthcare systems, ensuring seamless data exchange and coordination. The app's user experience is designed with a strong focus on accessibility and user-centered design, making it easy for women of all technological backgrounds to navigate and use the platform.

By leveraging widely adopted mobile communication channels, the BloomCare solution overcomes geographical barriers and empowers pregnant women to access quality maternal healthcare services, regardless of their location.

The BloomCare solution team consists of the following:

5 full-time staff members:

• Jesca Chaula, CEO
• Neema Mwaisela, Registered Midwife and Clinical Lead
• Asha Mbwaga, Data Scientist and Public Health Specialist
• Goodluck Mallya, Mobile Technology Expert and User Experience Designer
• Esther Nyambiya, Program Manager

4 part-time staff members:

•  Mussa Mfinanga, Healthcare Systems Integration Specialist
•  Fatuma Rashidi, Community Engagement Coordinator
•  Rehema Kamugisha, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer
•  Rahma Abdallah, Financial Analyst

The team also works with a network of freelance healthcare providers, software developers, and other subject matter experts on an as-needed basis to support the development and implementation of the BloomCare solution.

The BloomCare team has been working on the development and implementation of our maternal healthcare solution for 17 months. The initial concept and early prototyping began in late 2022, and the team has since secured funding, assembled a multidisciplinary group of experts, and established partnerships to support the solution's growth and expansion. Through research, community outreach, platform development, and pilot testing, the team has been actively refining the solution to ensure it meets the needs of the target beneficiaries in underserved Tanzanian communities.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to the BloomCare team's values and organizational culture. We believe that by fostering a diverse and inclusive environment, we can better understand the needs of the communities we serve and develop more effective solutions to address maternal healthcare challenges.

Our leadership team is composed of individuals with diverse backgrounds, including gender, ethnicity, and professional expertise. The team includes an equal number of women and men, with representation from different regions of Tanzania. This diversity helps to ensure that a range of perspectives and lived experiences are integrated into the decision-making and problem-solving processes.

To further strengthen our commitment to diversity and inclusion, the BloomCare team has implemented the following measures:

• Recruitment and hiring practices that actively seek out candidates from underrepresented groups, including women, ethnic minorities, and individuals with disabilities.
• Competitive compensation and benefits packages that aim to provide equitable opportunities and remove financial barriers to entry.
• Ongoing training and workshops on unconscious bias, inclusive leadership, and creating a psychologically safe work environment.
• Employee resource groups that foster a sense of community and provide support for team members from diverse backgrounds.
• Flexible work arrangements and family-friendly policies to accommodate the needs of staff members with caregiving responsibilities.

By prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion, the BloomCare team is not only strengthening our internal capabilities but also modeling the values we aim to promote in the communities we serve. We believe that this holistic approach will contribute to the long-term sustainability and impact of our maternal healthcare solution.

The BloomCare solution operates on a hybrid business model, combining a social enterprise approach with elements of a public-private partnership.

Our primary customers are the regional and district health authorities in Tanzania, who commission the BloomCare platform to provide maternal healthcare services to the underserved communities within their jurisdictions. The health authorities pay a per-user subscription fee of $1.50 per month to the BloomCare platform, which covers the costs of technology development, healthcare provider training, and service delivery.

In addition to the subscription-based revenue stream, BloomCare also generates income through partnerships with private healthcare providers and pharmaceutical companies. These partners pay a fee of $288 per year to access the BloomCare network and connect with our users, who represent a valuable target market for their products and services.

The core value proposition of the BloomCare solution is to improve maternal and infant health outcomes in underserved Tanzanian communities by increasing access to quality healthcare services. This is achieved through the platform's suite of features, which include:

• Connecting pregnant women with their designated midwives and healthcare providers via mobile messaging
• Providing targeted educational content and reminders to improve pregnancy and postpartum care practices
• Leveraging predictive analytics to identify high-risk pregnancies and facilitate early interventions

By addressing the persistent challenges of limited access and suboptimal quality of maternal healthcare services, BloomCare aims to create significant positive impact on the lives of the women and infants it serves, while also generating a sustainable revenue model to support the solution's long-term growth and scalability.

The BloomCare solution is focused on achieving long-term financial sustainability through a combination of revenue streams and strategic partnerships.

Our primary revenue model is a subscription-based service, where regional and district health authorities in Tanzania pay a per-user fee to commission the BloomCare platform and provide maternal healthcare services to the underserved communities within their jurisdictions. This subscription revenue currently accounts for 70% of our expected annual income.

To supplement this, we have also established partnerships with private healthcare providers and pharmaceutical companies, who pay an annual fee to access the BloomCare network and connect with our user base. This B2B revenue stream makes up the remaining 30% of our projected income.

To date, we have successfully secured subscription contracts with two regional health authorities in Tanzania, covering a total of 15,000 pregnant women. Additionally, we have signed partnership agreements with three leading pharmaceutical companies, generating $86,400 in annual revenue.

Looking ahead, our plan for achieving financial sustainability involves:

1. Expanding our subscription-based services to additional regions and districts, with a target of reaching 50,000 pregnant women by the end of 2028.
2. Diversifying our partnership portfolio to include more private healthcare providers, as well as exploring opportunities for government service contracts and social impact investment.
3. Continuously optimizing our operating efficiency and exploring cost-saving measures, such as automated workflows and bulk procurement of supplies.

By leveraging this multi-pronged approach, the BloomCare team is confident in our ability to achieve long-term financial sustainability and ensure the continued delivery of our vital maternal healthcare services.