Antenatal care (ANC) and postnatal care (PNC) are important services for pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as their newborns. They serve as crucial gateways to accessing a range of essential health services – from facility delivery to malaria prevention and immunisation. However, despite their significance, Northern Ghana continues to lag in the uptake of full course ANC and PNC, with approximately 54 per cent as compared to 84 per cent in Accra.

Savana Signatures has been committed to addressing this disparity through digital innovation, aligning our efforts with the Sustainable Development Goal 3, particularly Target 3.1 and 3.2. Over the years, we have led the use of digital solutions to promote the uptake of ANC and PNC services in rural communities, ultimately contributing to safer deliveries and improved newborn survival rates.

At the forefront of our initiatives is the Kpododo Mobile Messaging platform, a simple yet innovative tool leveraging the widespread use of mobile phones in Ghana. This platform delivers critical maternal and child health information directly to pregnant women and lactating mothers in remote areas through mobile voice messages in local languages and SMS in English, all at no cost to the beneficiaries. Through this platform, we are breaking barriers of distance and time, ensuring that even the most marginalised individuals can access important healthcare information.

“The use of innovation makes the Kpododo platform different from other practices,” remarks Stephen Agbenyo, Executive Director of Savana Signatures. “The mobile messaging tackles barriers of distance, time and costs in accessing maternal health information and services.”

The innovation, a key component of our mHealth strategy, not only facilitates the dissemination of critical health information but also encourages a sense of agency and empowerment among women in rural communities. As part of the USAID/ASBC Activity, the strategy is being used to complement the Community Engagement for Health and Wellbeing initiative, to strengthen healthcare delivery systems, ultimately contributing to improved health outcomes.

Our commitment to innovation and impact has earned us recognition at the upcoming 12th ICT4D Conference organised by the Catholic Relief Services (CRS). Scheduled for March 19-20, 2024, the conference will bring together about 700 stakeholders from NGOs, government agencies, academic institutions, and more to explore the transformative potential of Information Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) in the areas of health, WASH, green economy, food security, and connectivity.

At the conference, Savana Signatures’ innovative work in the health sector will be featured in a catalogue of various ICT4D interventions in Ghana, providing insights from experiences and lessons learned to set the tone for discussions on the way forward.