Enhancing Access to Emergency Obstetric Care (EmOC)
Every two minutes, a woman globally succumbs to childbirth-related complications. A staggering 70% of these cases occur in Sub-Saharan Africa, where many are preventable. Studies indicate that extended travel times contribute significantly to adverse maternal outcomes. This is where the implementation of AI in emergency obstetric care can make a difference. Employing AI technology allows us to improve the mapping of obstetric care access, assisting our partners in ensuring that women can readily avail themselves of essential healthcare services.
In a collaborative effort with the OnTime Consortium in Nigeria, a tool was developed in 2022 to calculate the average travel time to the nearest, second nearest, and third nearest EmOC facilities across various regions. Supported by our partner on the ground, the OnTIME Consortium, decision-makers in Benin City are utilizing this tool to pinpoint regions with insufficient geographic access to EmOC. They are conducting on-site assessments to determine the root causes of poor geospatial access, such as road conditions, commuter behavior, or the absence of EmOC-trained staff at local medical facilities. By integrating these findings with the firsthand experiences of individuals in the community, tailored, data-driven recommendations are being made. Currently, efforts are underway to expand this initiative to other regions beyond Nigeria.
