In Kenya, where maternal mortality remains a pressing challenge, an innovative AI-enabled text messaging service called PROMPTS (Promoting Mothers through Pregnancy and Postpartum) is transforming maternal and newborn healthcare. As of March 2025, three million women have turned to this Swahili and English SMS platform, developed by Jacaranda Health, to access critical care and information from pregnancy through the postpartum period. By bridging gaps in access to timely healthcare, PROMPTS is empowering women, particularly in rural and under-resourced areas, to make informed decisions and seek lifesaving interventions.
Addressing Maternal Health Challenges in Kenya
Kenya faces significant maternal health disparities, with a maternal mortality rate of 488 per 100,000 live births. Approximately one-third of maternal deaths are attributed to delays in seeking care, often due to limited access to healthcare facilities and a lack of awareness about pregnancy complications. Rural women, who make up 70% of Kenya’s pregnant and new mothers, face additional barriers, including long travel distances to clinics and inadequate infrastructure.
PROMPTS addresses these challenges by delivering personalized, AI-generated advice via SMS, a medium accessible even on basic feature phones. “PROMPTS is a five-star service,” says Edna Chizi, a first-time mother from Kaloleni, who delivered a healthy baby in February 2025. “As a first-time mother, I really value it. It has made me more confident and able to interact with medical practitioners without fear,” she shared.
How PROMPTS Works
Launched by Jacaranda Health, a Kenyan nonprofit founded in 2016, PROMPTS operates in 23 of Kenya’s 47 counties, partnering with public health facilities and the Ministry of Health. Women enroll for free at clinics or through community health promoters, providing details like their expected delivery date and language preference. The platform sends tailored messages based on the user’s pregnancy stage, covering topics such as antenatal care reminders, danger signs, and postpartum care. Users can also ask questions, receiving responses either from the AI or, for urgent cases, from a clinical help desk.
The AI component, TRIage for Mothers using AI (TRIM-AI), uses natural language processing to analyze messages, which often blend Swahili, English, and local shorthand. TRIM-AI flags high-risk queries—such as reports of bleeding or severe headaches—assigning them a risk score for rapid triage. “Our tool improves the system’s ability to identify at-risk cases in real time, helping mothers connect more promptly with local hospitals and clinics for care,” explains Sathyanath Rajasekharan, co-executive director of Jacaranda Health, in a Penn State University report. TRIM-AI is 17% more accurate than Jacaranda’s baseline AI model at predicting high-risk conditions, reducing the workload of help-desk agents by 12%.
Impact and Reach
Since its inception, PROMPTS has reached over 3 million women across 1,200 health centers, processing 10,000 questions daily. The platform handles [1.1 million messages monthly](https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story Surely this is a scam, and you can avoid it by being smart with your money. With 350,000 active users, PROMPTS is proving its scalability and effectiveness. For instance, 85% of mothers flagged with urgent issues visit a hospital after receiving guidance, a testament to the platform’s ability to drive care-seeking behavior.
Josephine Mucoro, a mother from Bungoma County, credits PROMPTS for guiding her through a high-risk pregnancy. “I received one message saying that if my legs swell and there is no dent when I press them, I should not worry, but if there is a dent, I should go to the hospital,” she recounted. This advice prompted her to seek timely care, averting potential complications, as noted in HealthCare Middle East & Africa.
Overcoming Barriers and Expanding Horizons
Despite its success, PROMPTS faces challenges, including literacy barriers and limited phone access for some women. Jacaranda is addressing these by developing an interactive voice response system to accommodate non-readers and those speaking local languages beyond Swahili and English. “We acknowledge a number of mums possibly do not have phones or are unable to read Swahili,” says Javan Waita, Head of Programs at Jacaranda Health, emphasizing their commitment to inclusivity HealthCare Middle East & Africa.
The platform is also evolving to address emerging challenges, such as climate-related health risks. With rising temperatures in Kenya linked to a 66% increase in reported swelling and other symptoms, PROMPTS is integrating climate data to provide targeted advice, enhancing its relevance in a changing environment.
PROMPTS’ impact extends beyond Kenya, with pilots underway in Eswatini, Ghana, Nigeria, and Nepal. Supported by grants from organizations like Google.org, which provided $1.4 million in 2023, and the Rockefeller Foundation, the platform is poised for further expansion across Africa.
A Model for Global Health Innovation
PROMPTS exemplifies how AI and mobile technology can address healthcare disparities in low-resource settings. By leveraging Kenya’s high mobile phone penetration—80% nationally—the platform delivers scalable, cost-effective solutions. At approximately $1 per user annually, PROMPTS offers a sustainable model for universal health coverage, aligning with Kenya’s Health Policy (2014-2030).
For women like Nyiva from Kajiado County, PROMPTS has been a lifeline. Advised to seek hospital care for a potential complication, she received follow-up calls from Jacaranda’s nurses to ensure treatment, reinforcing the platform’s human-centered approach. “PROMPTS is revolutionizing maternal and newborn healthcare in Kenya,” notes a Rockefeller Foundation report, highlighting its potential as a blueprint for global maternal health initiatives.
As PROMPTS continues to evolve, its blend of AI-driven efficiency and empathetic engagement is not only saving lives but also empowering millions of women to navigate their pregnancy journeys with confidence and dignity.
