Chrystelle Opope Oyaka Wedi from the Nuffield Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, has won funding to pilot a life saving project for pregnant women in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The “Ona-Matoto-Lako” project (“see your baby” in Swahili) will take lifesaving antenatal care to pregnant women in remote parts of low & middle income countries, where women can see their baby free of charge using a mobile ultrasonagraphy bus.
This “see your baby” visit will be used as an opportunity to tackle the leading causes of maternal & new born deaths by identifying high risk pregnancies through ultrasonagraphy and screening for the common causes of maternal death i.e. pregnancy related anaemias, pregnancy related hypertension and HIV & malaria. In addition the antenatal visit will also be used as an opportunity to obtain the mobile phone numbers of the women and these will be used to send the women maternal & child health, health promotion related text messages as well as connect high risk women to health care services in their area.
“Ona-Matoto-Lako” was named best project overall from 29 entries at the Aspen Ideas Award Festival in the Spotlight Health Challenge. Read more.
