In Nigeria, pregnant women face significant risks due to limited access to quality healthcare, while children often succumb to vaccine-preventable diseases. A 2015 report by the United Nations revealed that Nigeria accounts for 19% of maternal deaths globally, with an alarming 58,000 maternal deaths recorded annually, making it one of the most dangerous places to give birth.
Motherhood in Africa comes with significant challenges, but technology is stepping in to make a difference.
HelpMum, a Nigerian health-tech company, is leveraging artificial intelligence to improve maternal and infant healthcare in Africa.
Read on to discover how HelpMum is making a real impact in the fight to reduce maternal and infant mortality in Africa.
“One in every 13 children born in Nigeria die before their first birthday. One in eight do not survive to their fifth birthday.”
The Burden Of Maternal And Infant Mortality In Nigeria
Nigeria faces a significant health crisis, with approximately 2,300 children under the age of five and 145 women dying each day due to preventable causes.
This alarming statistic makes Nigeria the world’s second-largest contributor to under-five and maternal mortality.
A multitude of factors contribute to these high rates, including inadequate access to quality healthcare services, malnutrition, and a lack of education on maternal and child health.
In Nigeria, about one in five children suffers from chronic malnutrition, which significantly increases the risk of mortality from common infections and illnesses.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhoea, and malaria are the leading causes of death among children under five.
Access to vaccines has improved in recent years, yet coverage remains uneven, particularly in rural areas where healthcare facilities are often scarce.
The situation in Nigeria is reflective of broader challenges across Africa, where child mortality rates are disproportionately high compared to other regions.
Sub-Saharan Africa bears the brunt, accounting for more than half of all child deaths worldwide.
Factors such as poverty, conflict, and limited healthcare infrastructure exacerbate these challenges, hindering progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
Interventions focusing on improving maternal health, increasing vaccination rates, and addressing nutritional deficiencies are crucial.
Efforts by governments, NGOs, and international organisations continue to address these pressing issues, but significant work remains to be done to ensure that every child has the opportunity to survive and thrive.
This is where innovative initiatives like HelpMum come into the picture.
HelpMum’s Progress Using Artificial Intelligence And Digital Technology
HelpMum has been able to augment its solutions with innovative AI-driven technology.
One of their flagship AI-driven digital health innovations is the ADVISER, which uses an integer linear program to enhance vaccination programs in resource-constrained settings.
HelpMum also has a vaccine tracker that helps families track their children’s vaccinations using a Google app.
They also have a vaccination chatbox (vaxbot), integrated into the vaccine tracker and “ADVISER” combined, making it a one-of-a-kind super solution for tackling vaccination challenges in regions with poor vaccination penetration.
In addition to advanced vaccine trackers, HelpMum also has a Chatbot for pregnancy (Mamabot), which also has an AI-powered version (MamaBotAI) and an e-learning platform for educating traditional birth attendants in Nigeria.
HelpMum’s AI-Drivern Vaccination Optimisation Framework (ADVISER)
HelpMum, in collaboration with Google Research and Vanderbilt University, developed ADVISER, an AI-driven framework aimed at improving vaccination uptake in Nigeria.
This innovation has been recognised in the AI for social goods category at the International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI) and was featured in a Harvard University lecture in 2022.
ADVISER, which stands for AI-Driven Vaccination Optimization Framework, utilises an integer linear program to enhance vaccination programs in resource-constrained settings, supporting Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 3.
It marks the first successful application of such technology for optimising health interventions in Nigeria and has benefited over 13,000 families in Oyo State, Nigeria.
Publication Of Research Paper In AI for Social Impact (AISI) special track at the 38th AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AAAI-2024)
HelpMum, in collaboration with Vanderbilt University, achieved a significant milestone by having an AI research paper accepted into the AI for Social Impact (AISI) special track at the 38th AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AAAI-2024).
Last year’s AISI track experienced a competitive selection process, with 322 submissions, leading to an acceptance rate of just 24.2%—only 78 papers were accepted.
This highlights the high quality of HelpMum’s contributions to AI for social good.
With the help of artificial intelligence, HelpMum has optimised its processes, augmented them and amplified its efforts in the fight against mother and child mortality in Africa.
The Brain Behind HelpMum
Dr. Abiodun Adereni, the founder and CEO of HelpMum, is a Nigerian social entrepreneur dedicated to improving maternal and infant health across Africa.
HelpMum began during his veterinary studies at the University of Ibadan.
In 2017, he and his peers visited a rural community to educate pregnant women about zoonotic diseases—illnesses that can be transmitted from animals to humans.
During this outreach, he observed firsthand the severe challenges these women faced, including limited access to clean delivery environments and essential birth supplies.
This experience revealed to him the critical gaps in maternal healthcare in underserved areas.
As a young Nigerian doctor, I cannot accept that one woman dies every 10 minutes on account of pregnancy or childbirth. Neither can I accept that one out of five children will never reach the age of five. I know these deaths are preventable.
Dr Abiodun Adereni.
This conviction led him to establish HelpMum in 2017. Adereni envisions HelpMum as Africa’s leading mobile healthcare provider.
HelpMum equips pregnant women in rural areas with vital health information to manage pregnancy-induced hypertension and gestational diabetes.
Recognising that many give birth with traditional birth attendants in unsafe environments, HelpMum provides Clean Birth Kit—an affordable solution containing essentials for safe home deliveries, reducing the risk of infections and maternal deaths.
Dr. Adereni’s commitment to this cause is deeply personal and driven by a desire to address the inequalities in healthcare access for women in underserved communities.
Adereni Abiodun, the visionary founder of HelpMum, has garnered numerous accolades for his impactful work in improving maternal and infant healthcare:
- Waislitz Global Citizen COVID-19 Response Award Winner: Recognised globally for his innovative contributions during the pandemic and awarded a cash prize of $50,000.
- 2020 Facebook Community Accelerator Fellow: Acknowledged for fostering impactful community-based solutions.
- 2019 Google Impact Challenge Winner: Secured funding to expand HelpMum’s initiatives across Nigeria.
- United Nations Startup For SDGs Winner: Celebrated for aligning HelpMum’s mission with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
- Western Union Foundation Grantee (twice): Received support to advance HelpMum’s innovative programs.
- 2018 D-Prize Global Ambassador: Recognised for addressing healthcare challenges with sustainable solutions.
- 2018/19 LEAP Africa Social Innovators Programme Fellow: Honored for demonstrating leadership in social impact.
- 2017 Tony Elumelu Foundation Fellow: Awarded fellowship under one of Africa’s leading entrepreneurship programs.
To eradicate infant and maternal mortality in Africa through innovation, technology, research, policy advocacy and advisory.
HelpMum Mission
Significant Milestones Achieved By HelpMum
While Adereni has received numerous accolades and financial rewards for his work, his drive to combat maternal and infant mortality in Nigeria stems not from a pursuit of fame or fortune but from witnessing the dire conditions faced by pregnant women and infants in rural communities.
HelpMum, founded in 2017, has achieved significant milestones in its mission to reduce maternal and infant mortality in Nigeria:
- Distribution Of Clean Birth Kits: HelpMum has provided thousands of clean birth kits to pregnant women in rural communities, ensuring safer deliveries and reducing infection risks.
- Google Impact Challenge Winner (2018): HelpMum was awarded a $250,000 grant to expand its services and reach more women across Nigeria.
- Vaccination Tracking System: The organisation developed a system to send SMS reminders to mothers about vaccination schedules, improving immunisation rates among children.
- Training of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs): HelpMum has trained TBAs to provide better care during childbirth, especially in areas with limited access to healthcare facilities.
- Advancements in Artificial Intelligence: HelpMum has been recognised for its AI innovations in maternal and infant healthcare, with notable achievements presented at international events.
- Google Impact Challenge (2018): HelpMum was awarded a $250,000 grant to expand its services and reach more women across Nigeria.
- Africa Visionary Fund (2024): In early 2024, HelpMum received a $225,000 grant from the Africa Visionary Fund, recognising its impactful work in maternal and child healthcare.
- VaxSocial Initiative (May 2024): HelpMum, in collaboration with the Behavioural Insights Team, was selected as one of seven global organisations to receive funding totalling $8.5 million from Advancing Health Online (AHO) and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. This grant aims to develop behavioural and social media interventions to build vaccine confidence.
- Meta AI Innovation Grant: HelpMum was awarded the Meta Llama Innovation Grant, receiving funding and support from Meta to further its AI-driven healthcare solutions.
See Through The Eyes Of HelpMum
To become Africa’s leading digital maternal and infant healthcare innovator by building resilient healthcare systems.
HelpMum Vision
The Problem
Maternal and infant mortality rates in Nigeria, particularly in rural areas, remain alarmingly high. The country faces one of the world’s most significant health challenges, contributing to nearly 19% of global maternal deaths. The vast majority of these deaths occur due to inadequate healthcare, lack of access to essential medical services, and poor sanitation during childbirth.
Pregnant women in these regions often rely on traditional birth attendants working in unhygienic conditions, increasing the risk of infections and complications.
Meanwhile, preventable diseases like neonatal tetanus and other childhood illnesses continue to claim the lives of children, mainly due to poor immunisation coverage and healthcare awareness.
The Solution
HelpMum seeks to bridge this healthcare gap through a multifaceted approach. HelpMum provides pregnant women and mothers with access to critical health information, medical advice, and resources like the HelpMum Clean Birth Kit by leveraging technology and community-driven solutions.
These kits, designed to ensure a safe and sterile delivery, are distributed to women in rural communities, often at little or no cost. Additionally, HelpMum integrates SMS reminders for vaccination schedules, keeping mothers informed about essential immunisations to protect their infants.
HelpMum also trains traditional birth attendants to provide safer, more hygienic delivery practices, ensuring that healthcare services reach even the most remote areas. Using Artificial Intelligence (AI), the organisation tailors health advice and interventions, ensuring they are both accessible and impactful.
The Impact
Since its inception, HelpMum has profoundly impacted maternal and child health in Nigeria.
By providing women with access to timely healthcare information and resources, the organisation has significantly reduced maternal and infant mortality in the regions it serves.
The Clean Birth Kits alone have made a tangible difference in the number of infections post-delivery. At the same time, HelpMum’s AI-powered health interventions have empowered women to manage pregnancy-related conditions like hypertension and gestational diabetes more effectively.
The SMS reminders have led to increased vaccination rates, helping to protect thousands of children from vaccine-preventable diseases. The organisation’s efforts in training traditional birth attendants have improved the standard of care during deliveries, resulting in safer childbirth practices across rural Nigeria.
Ultimately, HelpMum is not just a healthcare service but a lifeline for women and children in underserved communities, empowering them to lead healthier, more informed lives.
Final Thoughts
So, what’s the takeaway from all of this?
HelpMum is not just another health-tech company ticking boxes; it’s a life-changing movement redefining what is possible in maternal and child healthcare in Africa.
From clean birth kits to AI-powered interventions, they have proven that a blend of innovation and heart can save lives—even in the most remote corners of Nigeria.
But let’s be honest: the problem isn’t entirely solved yet.
Maternal and infant mortality is still a significant issue in Nigeria and Africa.
HelpMum has shown us what’s possible when we think innovatively and utilise technology to solve healthcare problems in Africa.
This is a call to innovators all over Africa that it’s possible to transform healthcare with the power of digital technologies. And with artificial intelligence that augments and amplifies our abilities as innovators, there’s no end or limitations.
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