Use of Mobile Technology to Support Provision of Community-Based Maternal and Neonatal Care in Developing Countries

Abstract

The health systems in many developing countries in Africa are facing critical shortages in nursing and midwifery health professionals and the situation is worse in the rural areas resulting in poor maternal and neonatal health outcomes. One of the interventions to address this challenge has been the use of Community Health Workers to supplement the provision of maternal and neonatal healthcare services within their communities. The international community is advocating for the use of Mobile technology in supporting various health service areas including community-based healthcare. This paper presents findings of a research on the information and communication needs of Community Health Workers in the provision Community-Based Maternal and Neonatal care in the rural areas of a developing country, Malawi, and it examines the potential use for adopting mobile technologies in such a setting to meet their needs.