On June 1, 2023, SOIK's digital health solution, SPAQ, began its trial run in a new frontier: Gabon. This project is intended to provide insights for maternal and child health initiatives using digital solutions, in collaboration with JICA's Maternal and Child Health Handbook Project.
The undertaking in Gabon is a cooperative effort involving SOIK, Health and Tech LLC, and Mitsubishi UFJ Research & Consulting. SPAQ's digital solution integrates innovative measures to increase the coverage of expectant mothers in remote areas, in addition to digital antenatal consultations and portable ultrasound examinations.
Based on a preliminary survey, all five medical facilities within the Moyen-Ogooué Province were selected for the project. Here, the goal is to increase the use of medical services such as prenatal and postnatal examinations, and institutional deliveries. The teams at the medical facilities and local villages were trained in using SPAQ. Additionally, a "Performance Based Financing (PBF)" scheme was introduced to maintain the motivation of collaborators, rewarding them based on their input.
Moving forward, SOIK will continue its efforts to increase the coverage of expectant mothers in remote areas, boost the use of medical services such as prenatal and postnatal check-ups, and improve the quality of anomaly detection and patient referrals. Furthermore, the outcomes of this project are intended to provide insights for JICA's overall digital initiatives in the field of maternal and child health.
To tackle the challenges in the global digital health sector, SOIK will continue to leverage technology and partnerships for further innovation.
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