By Prama Verma | Marketing & Partnerships Manager
COVID-19 pushed already fragile health systems to the brink and quickly made it clear that traditional face-to-face models of service delivery had to evolve to protect frontline health workers and communities, and stop the transmission of the virus. This promoted a rapid increase in the number and scope of digital health services and tools to support health service delivery during COVID-19 and beyond.
At mothers2mothers (m2m), we realized early on in the pandemic that one of the best ways we could keep the Mentor Mothers we employ as frontline health workers safe and healthy—and make it possible for them to continue providing their clients with vital health services—was to quickly innovate and expand our digital services. That resulted in accelerating the development and launching two new digital health solutions, which we rapidly rolled across the countries where we operate. They include:
Peer support via phone services:
Our frontline health workers now provide a combination of in-person and digital services, reaching clients by phone, text, and WhatsApp when they are unable to meet in person. This phone and WhatsApp outreach is underpinned by an app that guides our team through structured and scripted calls. We also decide on the “dosage” between in-person and remote services depending on a client’s risk profile.
Virtual Mentor Mother Platform (VMMP):
As well as these remote services, we also launched an interactive WhatsApp chatbot tool that provides information and referrals on a wide range of health issues—such as COVID-19, safe motherhood, healthy childhoods, teen health, living with HIV, chronic disease, and family health—that’s translated into 23 languages across nine countries. This has opened a new way for our frontline team to bring trusted information and support to more people. There’s also a help desk to answer more complex queries.
m2m is pleased that although designed and rolled out under pressure, our eServices solution has remained consistent and solid. “The eService delivery model has been helpful to our clients. They are now able to receive services virtually, i.e. health messages, referrals, and reminders on the upcoming services or missed services. It has also helped to protect both the client and Mentor Mothers by reducing direct contact and risk of exposure to COVID-19,” said Miriam, Community Mentor Mother, Kenya.
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