In Nigeria, hundreds of women, and children under the age of 5 die daily, making the country one of the largest contributors to maternal and child mortality in the world.
So many factors caused this: lack of access to healthcare facilities, poor health practices, use of unclean materials, among others. These can be as a result of poverty, effects of terrorism, e.t.c.
Uche Kenneth Udekwe is the Founder of Natal Care, a social enterprise with a mission to reduce maternal and infant mortality from complications of pregnancy or delivery specifically focusing on pregnant women and Nursing mothers in IDP Camps (internally Displaced Persons) and Rural disconnected communities in Nigeria.
He graduated of the University of Technology Akure and also an alumnus of the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC),
Uche believes that “No Human Life is too big to be saved and too small to be lost. All Human Lives are Valuable.” And he has taken it upon himself to use technology to address the issue of prenatal and postnatal mortality rate in Nigeria, with focus at the grassroots level.
With Natal Care, Uche and his team are able to use simple mobile devices, via bi-weekly SMS and weekly calls, to provide medical monitoring and emergency services, as well as other health care services like scheduled medical checks, immunization reminders for breastfeeding mothers, common health symptoms, family planning tips and more.
Natal Cares achieves its mission by providing pregnant women and nursing mothers with regular medically approved health information, through SMS and/or voice call services, on pregnancy, motherhood, safe delivery and healthy baby lifestyle to help improve their health and that of their baby.
The messages include pregnancy follow up, clinic reminders, child growth and nutrition, breastfeeding, immunisation reminders, parenting tips, common symptoms, child health care tips, nutrition guides, family planning tips and more.
The platform also has a Natal Care Kit which contains essential supplies required at childbirth to ensure a clean, safe and hygienic delivery to help mothers and newborns avoid acquiring infections during childbirth especially in underserved rural communities.
Natal Cares also carries out health care capacity buildings and sensitisation programs in IDP Camps and disconnected rural communities. It also trains traditional birth attendants and local midwives on latest delivery methods and technique.
Uche has also been a very strong advocate of the grassroots, especially pregnant women and nursing mothers in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps all across Nigeria, having access to healthcare services in primary healthcare centers.
Uche was also a recipient of the YALI Leadership Award On Health and Well-Being (September 2018), where his efforts on tackling mortality rate in Nigeria were recognized as well asThe Future Awards Africa (TFAA) Prize for Advocacy (2018).
