Improving maternal health in Nepal

In collaboration with local women, researchers developed an app to improve health resilience

Researchers and a group of Nepalese women

13 May 2019

Perinatal women and their newborns are amongst the most vulnerable in disasters when access to healthcare advice and services may be reduced or non-existent.

Working in partnership with local rural communities in Nepal, the MANTRA project investigated hazard and risk perception, and building women’s resilience by improving access to information and communications before, during and after disasters arising from geo-hazards. It aims to do this by developing mobile technology to support and expand existing interventions.

The group co-designed an app through focus group discussions with local women. It has 3 modules: maternal health, neonatal health and geo-hazards. Women, including those who had never used a smartphone before, reported they enjoyed using the app and learned from it.