Maternal and Newborn Emergency Transportation System

An integrated mobile application providing maternal obstetric and neonatal emergency transportation by leveraging existing mobile technology such as SMS and mobile payments and private taxis. The Maternal and Newborn Emergency Transportation System provides emergency transportation to women facing obstetric complications during delivery and neonates in critical conditions. The system is triggered when a call is made to the 24-7 dispatch center (toll-free number), the first of its kind in Tanzania. Through an integrated mobile application, a trained operator triages the patient and arranges emergency transportation to the appropriate health facility. Private taxi drivers across villages were recruited to provide emergency transportation. The dispatch center application seamlessly integrates with the mobile payment gateway via API, ensuring drivers are paid the pre-determined price for the journey through their personal MPesa account. By mostly focusing on rural areas, the system provides emergency transportation to women belonging to the poorest segments of the population. In the first year of operation, the system has provided emergency transportation to ~1,500 women and neonates among a population of 39,000 pregnant women. Initial assessment of the impact suggests between 40-80 women lives saved, while impact of newborn lives saved is estimated to be between 200-400.