Natal Cares

    

Awards Nominee Category: African ChangeMakers Health & Wellness Award

Nominee Full Name: UCHE KENNETH UDEKWE

Nominee Country: Nigeria 

Company Initiative Career Business: NATAL CARES

Nominee Title Role: CEO/Founder

Nominee Product/Service: Natal Cares Mobile Messaging Services, Natal Cares Comprehensive Delivery Kits, Natal Cares Mobile Application.

Describe how your Company/Initiative/Career/Business is turning Africa problems into solutions in your community e.g. technology partnerships reach coverage:

Natal Cares have developed an all-inclusive innovative solution to solve this problem. To bridge the healthcare information gap, by harnessing Mobile-Technology we deliver valuable healthcare information about symptoms of Prenatal-Conditions using SMS and VOICE NOTES (for those who cannot read) in SIX-Preferred indigenous languages sent to Pregnant women and nursing mothers on their MOBILE-PHONES. These personalized weekly texts/voice-notes remind expectant mothers of pregnancy follow-ups, clinical-reminders, child-growth and nutrition, breastfeeding, vaccination-reminders, symptoms of common childhood-illnesses etc. When it is time for child-delivery, we have developed a Comprehensive DELIVERY-KIT containing essential supplies that pregnant-women require at childbirth to ensure hygienic delivery. We train Traditional Birth-Attendants on Latest delivery techniques to ensure safe delivery practices. Our Mobile-Application Contains Innovative features.

 

How does the Company Initiative/Career/Business improve people’s life, impact, affordability and reliability?

In the last Three years, we have successfully disbursed about 251,620 delivery kits to pregnant women which have helped to ensure safe deliveries in 186 rural communities in Nigeria. Our delivery kits contain essential supplies which help to ensure that pregnant women have a clean, safe and hygienic delivery. We have been able to send customized health care messages using USSD and VOICE NOTES to around 212,889 pregnant women and nursing mothers in SIX different languages about the symptoms of prenatal conditions. We have successfully reminded 18,094 women of their antenatal and immunization schedule who are actively registered on our mobile platform. So far we have made 186 referrals through the connect-to doctor feature on our APP. We have also economically empowered more 88 women who act as our agents across different communities in Nigeria.

 

How can this service product or solution be expanded to new markets or areas in Africa?

Our main scale-up strategies includes working directly with partners that have last mile access to our end customers and beneficiaries: Traditional Birth Attendant Centers, The Basic Healthcare Centers and Hospitals to increase the reach and accessibility of our solutions. Also, due to the fact that most of the problems of Africa in terms of maternal and infant mortality are identical, we will be working with interested organizations and individuals seeking a franchise from us to set up in their own country.

Website: www.natalcares.com

Voting Timeline: July 15 to July 30, 2021.