SMS – C4D Network

Mobile phone-delivered reminders and incentives to improve childhood immunisation coverage and timeliness in Kenya (M-SIMU): a cluster randomised controlled trial (The Lancet, Volume 5:4, PE428-E438, 2017)

February 18, 2019

Background: As mobile phone access continues to expand globally, opportunities exist to leverage these technologies to support demand for immunisation services and improve vaccine coverage. The authors aimed to assess whether short message service (SMS) reminders and monetary incentives can improve immunisation uptake in Kenya.

Methods: In this cluster-randomised controlled trial, villages were randomly and evenly allocated to four groups: control, SMS only, SMS plus a 75 Kenya Shilling (KES) incentive, and SMS plus 200 KES (85 KES = USD$1). Caregivers were eligible if they had a child younger than 5 weeks who had not yet received a first dose of pentavalent vaccine. Participants in the intervention groups received SMS reminders before scheduled pentavalent and measles immunisation visits. Participants in incentive groups, additionally, received money if their child was timely immunised (immunisation within 2 weeks of the due date). Caregivers and interviewers were not masked. The proportion of fully immunised children (receiving BCG, three doses of polio vaccine, three doses of pentavalent vaccine, and measles vaccine) by 12 months of age constituted the primary outcome and was analysed with log-binomial regression and General Estimating Equations to account for correlation within clusters.

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Mobile 4 Reproductive Health (m4RH) Toolkit (FHI 360 2016)

November 5, 2016

The Mobile 4 Reproductive Health (m4RH) toolkit provides information and tips from FHI 360’s work in mobile technology for health over several years and is intended to share lessons learned as well as facilitate replication of this SMS-based family planning and reproductive health information service. The toolkit includes an overview of m4RH, recent demographic and use data gathered through routine system use and from several studies, sample messages, costing data and a description of message development and adaptation process.

Guidelines for reporting of health interventions using mobile phones: mobile health (mHealth) evidence reporting and assessment (mERA) checklist (BMJ article 2016 352 :i1174)

September 9, 2016

To improve the completeness of reporting of mobile health (mHealth) interventions, the WHO mHealth Technical Evidence Review Group developed the mHealth evidence reporting and assessment (mERA) checklist. The development process for mERA consisted of convening an expert group to recommend an appropriate approach, convening a global expert review panel for checklist development, and pilot testing the checklist. The guiding principle for the development of these criteria was to identify a minimum set of information needed to define what the mHealth intervention is (content), where it is being implemented (context), and how it was implemented (technical features), to support replication of the intervention. This paper presents the resulting 16 item checklist and a detailed explanation and elaboration for each item, with illustrative reporting examples. Through widespread adoption, it is expected that the use of these guidelines will standardise the quality of mHealth evidence reporting, and indirectly improve the quality of mHealth evidence.

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The use of new ICTs to support HIV and sexual health, targeting youth and adolescents – case studies and report (C4D Network 2015)

April 26, 2016

This report, commissioned by UNICEF, aims to highlight the use, potential and impact of ICTs in sexual and reproductive health and HIV interventions targeting adolescents and young people. It highlights the lessons learnt from 11 case studies from across Africa, and illustrates the role of innovation in the use of ICT for HIV prevention. The report serves as a useful learning guide for future design and implementation of future programming on HIV and sexual health among adolescents.

Click here for the full report: C4D Network – REPORT & CASE STUDIES on ICT for HIV Prevention 28.11.15

ZNNP+ e-Network (The National Network of People Living with HIV (ZNNP+) and Youth Engage National Youth Alliance, Zimbabwe, 2014 onwards)

January 24, 2016

Background: Youth living with HIV in Zimbabwe face a number of challenges in accessing HIV/AIDS information and services due to a number of factors that range from affordability, inadequate information to stigma and discrimination. Zimbabwe Network for People living with HIV and Aids (ZNNP+) has been facing challenges in encouraging youths to join support groups mainly because of stigma and discrimination. ZNNP+ identified social media as a platform to improve access and availability of Youth friendly and comprehensive SRHR/HIV information and for virtual peer to peer psychosocial support. The platform provides education on sexuality to young affected populations as well as addressing social norms that fuel risk behaviors among young people.

What did the programme involve? ZNNP+ trained 10 youths one from each of the ten provinces on the use of technological innovations as advocacy tools. The training was centered on the use of social media. After the training ZNNP+ provided smart phones and periodically provided them with airtime. The youths cascaded the trainings to district representatives in their provinces. Social Whatsapp group platforms were formed in all the districts linking with provinces and feeding to the national social Whatsapp group managed by the Advocacy Officer. The platforms are being used to disseminate information from national to grassroots and getting issues from the grassroots. The issues identified (eg drug stock outs) are taken by the ZNNP+ Officer who engages with the responsible authorities and policy makers. The Advocacy person also organise quarterly media discussions on issues affecting youths living with HIV in accessing health needs.

Lessons learnt: Through discussions on social platforms youths living with HIV started sharing challenges they face in accessing ART. One topical issue that was raised was high user fees charged at Zvishavane District Hospital in Midlands province. The hospital was charging $3-00 and this was beyond the reach of many youths living with HIV. To take the issue forward ZNNP+ organised a dialogue with youths representatives from Midlands province, Provincial Medical Director (PMD) and Members of parliament. The issue also received limelight from the media. More than sixty youths living with HIV are now empowered and can make informed decisions regarding their health and can demand services at health facilities.

Next steps: The positive results from the project shows that social media is key in reaching out to youths. Plans are underway to strengthen the programme and cascade it to support groups of people living with HIV.

(Source: Edmore Mutimhodyo, Zimbabwe Network for People living with HIV and Aids)