MobileUurka

Over het initiatief / About the initiative

MobileUurka

In welke fase zit jouw initiatief? / In what stage is your initiative?

Uitgewerkt conceptfase

Heb je jouw initiatief al gevalideerd? / Did you validate your initiative?

Yes

Meer informatie over jouw initiatief / More info about your initiative

Approximately 70% of all maternal mortality cases in the world occur in SSA countries because of unequally despaired, under-resourced healthcare settings and low numbers of skilled healthcare workers. 

Somalia has the 6th highest MMR worldwide, with 1 in 18 dying from pregnancy-related complications. Unfortunately, most of these complications could have been easily cured, avoided or managed. The technology strengthens the current antenatal care, which is overbooked by increasing efficiency through the use of A.I. to detect and predict high-risk pregnancies, enhancing the operational capability of the scarce healthcare providers whilst increasing the quality of care. This results in a predictive approach rather than a merely curative strategy which is currently implemented. Subsequently, the technology allows for remote tracking of the women’s health status, which is vital since 70% of the population lives outside urban areas with low or no access to healthcare facilities.

The technology increases the autonomy of pregnant women by providing them with science-based learning tools on their pregnancy that are rooted in a combination of traditional and western medicine, which is placed within their social-cultural context. 

The urgency for the technology is high because the average age in Somalia is 17 years, and the typical childbearing age is between 15 and 45, implying that there will be an exponential increase in pregnancies over the next three decades. In the next two years, the need will increase by 25%, but the shortage of healthcare workers remains. The technology has the potential to overcome this limitation and save many women’s lives, which will have a positive impact on many layers of society, such as reduced child marriage and Islamic radicalization.

Wat zijn jouw volgende stappen om het verder te ontwikkelen? / What are your next steps to develop the initiative?

I have been in Somalia for the previous three months to validate the technology’s scientific component and implement a proof-of-concept in one medical facility. The technology will be modified according to feedback from the multiple lead users (gynaecologists and expectant women), and the scientific component will be further expanded. After that, the users will test the improved technology again for functionality, accuracy, and design. Meanwhile, relationships are developed in the Puntland region’s healthcare ecosystem and with the target population.

Wat heb je nodig om (nog meer) impact te maken met dit initiatief? / What do you need to make (more) impact with this initiative?

To make more impact with MobileUurka, I would like to gain training and coaching from professionals on how to scale technology most effectively and best position it in an international market to grow organically. Further, an appropriate business strategy that allows MobileUurka to be financially stable whilst aligning with the humanitarian focus should be selected. Here in, I would like to hear from experienced founders who have a startup with a humanitarian focus that is financially stable.