Nkangu Miriam, Njoache Mildred Nkeng, Obegu Pamela, Wanda Franck, Ngo Ngo Valery, Fantaye Arone, Kasonde Mwenya, Buh Amos Wung, Sinsai Regina, Kepgang Evrard, Kibu Odette, Detchaptche Sarah Pascale Ngassa, Fobellah Nkengfac, Gobina Ronald, Tangang Brice, Foretia Denis, Pessa Arthur, Little Julian, Weledji Donald, Yaya Sanni
School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
Bruyere Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada.
Oxf Open Digit Health. 2024 Mar 7;2:oqae012. doi: 10.1093/oodh/oqae012. eCollection 2024.
Despite the growing number of global initiatives aimed at reducing adverse maternal health outcomes, there remain critical gaps and disparities in access to maternal health services in Cameroon and across the sub-Saharan Africa. Digital health innovations represent unique opportunities for addressing maternal and newborn child health in sub-Saharan Africa. This article documents the approach to developing the BornFyne-Prenatal Management System (PNMS) as an intervention to support maternal health issues in Cameroon. The mixed-method design employed the three-delays model conducted in four health districts purposefully selected with a mix of urban and rural settings as defined in the context. The study employed focus group discussions and interviews to inform the development features. A total of 25 providers were interviewed, 12 focus group discussions and 4 workshops were held and a total of 3654 households were surveyed. Participants highlighted multifaceted advantages of using digital health platform such as BornFyne-PNMS to enhance communication and care during pregnancy such as remote consultations, emergency response, increased patient engagement and improved continuity of care and convenience. Most respondents believed that the use of a digital platform like BornFyne-PNMS would greatly facilitate access to health facilities, especially during emergencies. The BornFyne-PNMS deployment includes community engagement, training and practical skills building of health workers in the use of digital technologies, the establishment of an emergency transport mechanism for response to emergency cases, assessment and upgrading of the computer hardware of enrolled health facilities and support to health system managers to review and interpret the BornFyne data and interoperability with the national health management information system.
尽管全球旨在减少孕产妇不良健康结局的倡议越来越多，但喀麦隆以及撒哈拉以南非洲地区在获得孕产妇保健服务方面仍存在重大差距和差异。数字健康创新为解决撒哈拉以南非洲地区的孕产妇和新生儿健康问题提供了独特机遇。本文记录了开发BornFyne产前管理系统（PNMS）作为支持喀麦隆孕产妇健康问题干预措施的方法。混合方法设计采用了在四个健康区开展的三延迟模型，这些健康区是根据背景中定义的城乡混合环境有目的地选择的。该研究采用焦点小组讨论和访谈来确定开发特点。共采访了25名提供者，举行了12次焦点小组讨论和4次研讨会，共调查了3654户家庭。参与者强调了使用BornFyne - PNMS等数字健康平台在孕期加强沟通和护理的多方面优势，如远程咨询、应急响应、提高患者参与度以及改善护理连续性和便利性。大多数受访者认为，使用BornFyne - PNMS这样的数字平台将极大地便利获得医疗设施，尤其是在紧急情况下。BornFyne - PNMS的部署包括社区参与、对卫生工作者进行数字技术使用方面的培训和实践技能培养、建立应对紧急情况的应急运输机制、对登记的卫生设施的计算机硬件进行评估和升级，以及支持卫生系统管理人员审查和解读BornFyne数据以及与国家卫生管理信息系统的互操作性。
