Digital Health Advances for Women and Young Girls in Mombasa County.
Mombasa County has recorded essential milestones in the use of technology in health, focusing specifically on women and young girls. The satellite program will work towards improving health status and access to and use of medical care, increasing the efficiency of the medical services available. Some of these include different projects and reports prepared by county health officials to show the gains and achievements that have been made out of the new technologies available in the market.
Mombasa County is one of the areas that has embarked on an e-health program that involves the use of technology, including e-health platforms and mobile applications. These technologies provide women and young girls with health information, appointment settings, and teleconsultation services. Thanks to innovative technology, the Mombasa County Department of Health has launched new, user-friendly applications that inform on reproductive and prenatal health as well as vaccination schedules.
Having concurred with Ochieng’s opinions, Dr. Pauline Ochieng, Mombasa County Head of Digital Health Services, lauded such platforms, saying they have revolutionized Healthcare by “providing women with information and timely medical check-ups to eliminate avoidable complications.”
Mombasa has a well-developed telemedicine system that is now considered one of the most critical components of digital health. This service has particularly helped the women and girls who find it challenging to travel long distances or undergo cultural scrutiny to access health facilities. This way, they can consult doctors and other personnel in the field without necessarily having to travel from their homes with possible timely medical advice.
Working with a sample of patients who had undergone at least two telemedicine consultations within a year, the researchers found out that while the overall usage of telemedicine services had risen by 40 % within a year, 20% of the patients requesting such services were women and young girls in need of maternal and child Healthcare.
The Mombasa County Executive for Health, Dr Khadijah Shikelly, said, “The health information system has helped the government by identifying high-risk pregnancies that need early attention, hence the low maternal and infant mortality rates.”
Technology has also helped human resources in care, especially the community health workers (CHWs), who are essential actors in the wheel of healthcare provision at the grassroots. They are now able to use mobile devices and health applications to retrieve vital information, track the health conditions of their assigned patients, and give periodic updates to the healthcare givers. It will also cement their care to ensure that women and young girls receive care that is both continuous and comprehensive.
A survey by County Health Department seniors noted that CHWs who use digital tools are 60% more efficient than traditional methods when it comes to monitoring and reporting health concerns.
The County Health Department has been professionally conducting its annual report for the number of young girls who claimed to have watched these digital education programs, and an increment of 25% in health literacy was noted.
