Accra: The Ghana Health Service (GHS) and Jacaranda Health have launched an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered maternal health platform, PROMPTS, to improve access to maternal healthcare. Known locally as Nurse Mary, the platform is designed to provide pregnant women and new mothers with round-the-clock access to reliable health information through simple text messaging.
According to Ghana News Agency, the initiative, launched alongside a Regional Helpdesk Service at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, aims to bridge information gaps that contribute to preventable maternal and newborn complications. Mr John Hammond, PROMPTS Programme Manager at Jacaranda Health, highlighted that Nurse Mary enables women to receive timely advice, appointment reminders, and emergency guidance without needing internet access, airtime, or a smartphone. The platform functions on any mobile phone through SMS, using AI to analyze questions, categorize them by urgency, and provide immediate responses or refer users to the nearest health facility for emergency care.
The platform sends mothers daily health messages tailored to their pregnancy stage or the age of their babies. It also reminds them of antenatal and postnatal appointments, allowing them to ask questions anytime and receive responses free of charge. Mr Hammond emphasized that many mothers are unaware of the actions to take or where to seek help during danger signs, and PROMPTS provides immediate information and connects them with the health system before complications become life-threatening.
Jacaranda Health successfully implemented PROMPTS in Kenya for over a decade before piloting it in Ghana in 2022. Mr Hammond noted that Ghana's growing digital health ecosystem and supportive policies for digital innovation and responsible AI provided an enabling environment for scaling up the intervention.
Dr Robert Amesiya, Greater Accra Regional Director of Health Services, stated that the technology helps health professionals extend quality maternal care beyond health facilities. He explained that the platform allows continued support for mothers at home, identifying the nearest health facility for emergency care and coordinating communication to facilitate prompt care. The Greater Accra Regional Hospital has enrolled over 7,000 mothers on the platform, with many reporting positive experiences.
Dr Amesiya shared a case of a pregnant woman who sought advice through Nurse Mary when her medication caused vomiting. Following AI-guided instructions, she successfully continued treatment and later confirmed her condition had improved at her health facility. He added that the Nurse Mary platform complements existing maternal health services, enabling continuous communication between expectant mothers and healthcare providers throughout pregnancy and the postnatal period.