Project Lead(s): Richard Lester
Transportation to health facilities can be a major challenge for pregnant mothers in rural or remote areas, where ambulances are scarce and existing ride sharing methods are informal and inefficient.
Uberlance is a private-public, app-based ride share program to facilitate lifesaving transportation for expectant pregnant women in remote, resource-limited settings. Private vehicle owners will be linked to expectant mothers in need of transportation to hospitals for delivery or for complications before or after pregnancy.
Uberlance borrows from the successful business models of other ride share programs globally, where vehicle owners are required to meet certain standards to be eligible to participate. In this case, vehicle owners will be able to charge a premium if they meet the program’s standards, which include modifying their vehicles for improved patient transport and obtaining first aid training and accreditation.
The project builds on the success of WelTel’s first mobile health application, also supported by Grand Challenges Canada, which provides an effective communication link between outpatients and maternal health clinics to improve engagement in antenatal care.
