DocmeUP

The DocmeUP project, conceived by a collaboration of academics from ETH Zurich, IIT, and AIMS Ghana which included members of GHAIDEMS, aimed to enhance antenatal care (ANC) visits, minimize home deliveries, and supplement ANC clinic care using affordable mobile phones and ultrasound scan machines. Despite Ghana's Free Maternal Health Care Initiative since 2008, maternal mortality rates remained high, attributed to inadequate ANC quality and haemorrhaging as a leading cause of maternal death.

Research indicated that many Ghanaian women did not fully utilize ANC services, with only a fraction receiving all recommended services. The project targeted rural communities where women often lacked access to proper ANC. Between 2014 and 2015, the pilot phase reached nearly 400 women in Ghana's Central Region. GHAIDEMS team members led the deployment of remote ultrasound technology, trained community health workers (CHWs), and managed patient data.

The initiative integrated medical image analysis, an SMS management system, and community engagement to monitor pregnancies using portable ultrasound machines and centralized databases. The project aligned with similar initiatives, such as Rwanda's RapidSMS program, but innovatively integrated accessible online platforms and ultrasound screening. The pilot phase identified danger signs in pregnant women, conducted ultrasounds, and encouraged Hepatitis B tests, resulting in reduced pregnancy risks and increased ANC utilization and hospital deliveries.