What began as an unintended communication channel has evolved into a vital technological support system for thousands of pregnant women navigating health questions across Kenya. Through a specialized digital platform that pairs automated intelligence with clinical oversight, expectant mothers in dozens of counties can now receive immediate medical guidance directly on basic mobile handsets.
The initiative originated entirely by chance when Jacaranda Health, an organization operating a network of maternity clinics throughout Kenya, rolled out an automated text messaging system. The primary goal of the system at the time was straightforward: dispatching routine appointment notifications to help patients keep track of their scheduled prenatal checkups.
However, instead of merely noting the automated reminders, recipients began sending replies to the automated numbers. Expectant mothers, seeking reassurance and information about their evolving conditions, started treating the notification service as an interactive channel where they could voice their everyday uncertainties.
The inquiries covered a diverse spectrum of concerns, ranging from straightforward nutritional queries to distressing physical changes. Patients frequently asked about dietary safety, such as whether consuming avocados was permissible during gestation, while others sought clarity on potentially concerning symptoms, including sudden swelling or persistent headaches.
The volume of incoming messages quickly escalated, highlighting an immense, previously unmet demand for accessible maternal health information. Jay Patel, the director of technology at Jacaranda Health, noted that when he originally joined the organization, the team managed fewer than 100 patient inquiries per day. Today, that daily volume has surged to approximately 15,000 incoming messages.
In the early stages of the project, Jacaranda Health addressed the influx of inquiries by hiring clinical nurses dedicated to reading and manually answering each text message one by one. As the user base expanded rapidly, handling every inquiry manually proved unsustainable without technological assistance.
Beginning in 2020, developers began creating an artificial intelligence-driven platform named PROMPTS. The software was specifically designed to interpret the meaning of incoming patient inquiries, categorize and prioritize the messages, and quickly flag instances where an individual might require urgent, professional medical evaluation.
Today, the PROMPTS service operates across public health clinics located in 24 Kenyan counties. It serves as a digital companion for women who are receiving maternal care within the public health network, extending continuous communication beyond the walls of local clinics.
The platform was built intentionally to bridge persistent technological and infrastructure barriers. For many women living in rural or underserved areas who lack modern smartphones, stable broadband connections, or ready access to search engines, a simple text message to the service offers the fastest available method to obtain accurate health guidance.
Because the system functions entirely over standard SMS, it remains free of charge for the user and requires only a basic mobile phone. This accessibility is essential for remote areas where traveling to a clinic is difficult and information resources are scarce, particularly during late-night hours.
Patel emphasized this critical advantage by noting that if an expectant mother in a remote village experiences bleeding at two o'clock in the morning, searching the internet is typically not a viable option. Under such conditions, an SMS-based tool provides a crucial and reliable lifeline without requiring costly technology.
While the AI manages a broad volume of routine questions, the system incorporates strict safeguards for potential emergencies. Approximately 7% of all incoming text messages are flagged by the software as potentially urgent, triggering an immediate escalation process.
Whenever a message is categorized as urgent, it bypasses the artificial intelligence entirely and is routed straight to a prioritized help desk queue monitored by human nurses. Clinical staff can immediately review the patient’s past question history and initiate a direct telephone call to provide real-time medical guidance or advise immediate hospitalization.
Such rapid communication is vital in Kenya, where maternal mortality remains a major public health challenge. Approximately 6,000 women lose their lives each year due to complications related to pregnancy and childbirth, representing a tragic toll of roughly 16 maternal deaths every single day.
Research indicates that nearly one-third of these maternal deaths stem from critical delays in deciding to seek medical care. By giving mothers an immediate way to evaluate symptoms and instantly routing high-risk cases to qualified nurses, the platform aims to eliminate hesitation, reduce care delays, and help save lives across the country.
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