Project Lead(s): Paul Sugut
Issue
Women in urban slums lack access to care and face major health inequities.
In the Kenyan slum of Kibera, women often do not know their HIV status until they receive antenatal care (ANC). Furthering this issue is the fact only 10% of women in slums access ANC.
The inaccessibility of ANC leads to high rates of home deliveries which inevitably lead to HIV transmission from mother to child during childbirth.
Solution
Health workers in Kibera were equipped with Mobikits in order to improve access to health services and ultimately prevent mother to child transmission of HIV during birth.
Mobikit was a solar powered backpack equipped with a computer and telemedicine apps that allowed health practitioners to diagnose and treat mothers and their babies at the point of care. The Mobikit’s ICT platform was loaded with educational information for health workers to provide care for women with and without HIV.
A health station was set up in Kibera and home visits were conducted routinely using Mobikits. The project provided spirulina, a nutritional supplement, to 300 HIV-positive women to boost their nutritional status.
Using the Mobikit, the project held educational sessions for women on: pregnancy, antiretroviral treatment, childbirth, postpartum health, family planning, breastfeeding, miscellaneous health topics, and business skills.
Outcome
The Mobikit assisted in improving the health of HIV-positive women and girls as well as their families and newborns. Over a 12-month period, 300 HIV-positive women and girls were reached with educational programs and clinical care.
Of the 74 HIV-positive pregnant women who delivered babies during the program period, 100% gave birth in hospitals under the care of health professionals. This resulted in zero cases of HIV transmission from mother to child during birth.
Providing business education empowered HIV positive women to pursue income generating activities for themselves beyond the life of the project.
ChildsLife International hopes to scale the Mobikit to reach the large underserved population of HIV-positive women in Nairobi.