AI-Powered Personalisation at Scale: Bridging the Equity Gap in Maternal and Child Health through South Africa's MomConnect Initiative
1
Reach Digital Health, Cape Town, South Africa
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Fragmented care and information gaps are major drivers of maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) inequity. South Africa's MomConnect digital health initiative, implemented by the National Department of Health, addresses this by using high mobile penetration to connect pregnant women and new mothers to personalised, trusted health information across all nine provinces. The programme’s design prioritises inclusion through a multi-channel approach (SMS and WhatsApp) and multi-language content, establishing a scalable model for MNCH system strengthening. Activities This evaluation uses routine programme data and independent surveys to assess the impact of MomConnect, particularly focusing on outcomes among mothers engaged with the service. Key indicators examined include antenatal care (ANC) attendance, immunisation rates, and health seeking behaviours. Furthermore, we analyse the implementation of an AI-powered Ask-A-Question (AAQ) solution, which leverages Large Language Models to provide real-time, tailored responses to user queries, significantly enhancing accessibility and reducing helpdesk burden.
RESULTS:
MomConnect demonstrates exceptional effectiveness in driving positive health behaviours. Mothers engaged with the service achieved 96% ANC attendance (vs. 76% national average) and 91% of babies received recommended immunisations (vs. 86% national average). The platform has reached over 5 million users. The AAQ solution handled over 600,000 questions by May 2025 with 85% accuracy in urgency detection, allowing human operators to prioritise only the most complex cases. High user engagement is evidenced by over 422,000 monthly active users and an observed 70% boost in family planning uptake.
CONCLUSIONS:
MomConnect provides evidence that a government-led, AI-driven digital health platform is a highly effective, scalable infrastructure for promoting MNCH equity. By delivering personalised care at the user's touchpoint, the initiative improves engagement with essential health services and achieves tangible, positive health outcomes, offering a model for other low- and middle-income countries seeking to strengthen health systems and ensure "Health Without Borders."
Fragmented care and information gaps are major drivers of maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) inequity. South Africa's MomConnect digital health initiative, implemented by the National Department of Health, addresses this by using high mobile penetration to connect pregnant women and new mothers to personalised, trusted health information across all nine provinces. The programme’s design prioritises inclusion through a multi-channel approach (SMS and WhatsApp) and multi-language content, establishing a scalable model for MNCH system strengthening. Activities This evaluation uses routine programme data and independent surveys to assess the impact of MomConnect, particularly focusing on outcomes among mothers engaged with the service. Key indicators examined include antenatal care (ANC) attendance, immunisation rates, and health seeking behaviours. Furthermore, we analyse the implementation of an AI-powered Ask-A-Question (AAQ) solution, which leverages Large Language Models to provide real-time, tailored responses to user queries, significantly enhancing accessibility and reducing helpdesk burden.
RESULTS:
MomConnect demonstrates exceptional effectiveness in driving positive health behaviours. Mothers engaged with the service achieved 96% ANC attendance (vs. 76% national average) and 91% of babies received recommended immunisations (vs. 86% national average). The platform has reached over 5 million users. The AAQ solution handled over 600,000 questions by May 2025 with 85% accuracy in urgency detection, allowing human operators to prioritise only the most complex cases. High user engagement is evidenced by over 422,000 monthly active users and an observed 70% boost in family planning uptake.
CONCLUSIONS:
MomConnect provides evidence that a government-led, AI-driven digital health platform is a highly effective, scalable infrastructure for promoting MNCH equity. By delivering personalised care at the user's touchpoint, the initiative improves engagement with essential health services and achieves tangible, positive health outcomes, offering a model for other low- and middle-income countries seeking to strengthen health systems and ensure "Health Without Borders."
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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