Kilifi Launches Mobile App to Track Pregnancies and Reduce Maternal Deaths

Kilifi County has launched a mobile maternity health tracking system to help reduce maternal deaths by supporting expectant mothers and enabling remote monitoring by healthcare workers.

The initiative is built around the Uzazi Salama application, which allows pregnant women to register their details and receive regular health messages throughout their pregnancy. The information focuses on identifying danger signs early and encouraging timely medical care.

County officials say the system is aimed primarily at rural areas, where access to health facilities is limited. By providing consistent guidance directly to mothers, the app is intended to reduce delays in seeking care and lower reliance on traditional birth attendants, whose services are often associated with higher risks.

Healthcare workers in Kilifi’s hospitals are linked to the platform and can track registered pregnancies in real time. This allows medical staff to follow up with patients, assess potential complications, and intervene when necessary. County representatives say the dual approach strengthens communication between mothers and health professionals.

The need for such measures is highlighted by figures from the 2022 Kenya Demographic Health Survey, which estimate Kilifi’s maternal mortality rate at about 532 deaths per 100,000 live births. Key contributing factors include high rates of teenage pregnancy, limited access to skilled maternal and newborn care, postpartum haemorrhage, and continued use of traditional birth attendants.

County leaders believe digital tools can help address these challenges by improving awareness and strengthening oversight of maternal care. They say the combination of direct messaging and clinical monitoring offers a practical way to reduce preventable deaths.

The launch aligns with wider national efforts to digitise healthcare services. Earlier this year, the Ministry of Health announced plans for a nationwide ambulance service application that would allow patients to request emergency transport digitally.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the service would be publicly funded and would ensure patients are transported to hospital at no cost. Social Health Authority chief executive Mercy Mwangangi added that ambulance fees, estimated at about KSh4,500, and medical expenses incurred within the first 24 hours of hospital admission would be covered under the scheme.