AI Chatbot in Kenya Uses SMS to Reduce Maternal Mortality

In Kenya, where approximately 6,000 women die annually from pregnancy or childbirth-related causes, an artificial intelligence tool is providing a critical lifeline to expectant mothers in remote areas. The system, known as PROMPTS, allows women to send text messages with health questions and receive timely guidance, bypassing the need for internet access or smartphones.

Jacaranda Health, a network of clinics supporting pregnant women, originally launched an automated SMS service solely to send appointment reminders. However, patients quickly began replying with personal health concerns. “At the time I joined I think we were getting less than 100 questions a day,” recalled Jay Patel, the organization’s director of technology. “Now it’s 15,000.” Questions ranged from dietary inquiries, such as whether avocados are safe to eat, to worries about symptoms like swelling or headaches.

While nurses initially handled the volume manually, developers since 2020 have engineered an AI program to interpret these queries, prioritize them based on severity, and flag cases requiring immediate medical attention. The tool is currently active in public clinics across 24 Kenyan counties.

PROMPTS operates entirely over standard SMS, making it accessible to anyone with a basic mobile phone. This is vital for women in rural regions who lack reliable internet or cell reception. About 7% of messages are automatically flagged as potentially urgent and are routed directly to a nurse’s queue. These alerts bypass AI processing to ensure rapid human intervention. “They can pick it up immediately, look at the mom’s question history and call her,” Patel explained.

The speed of response is crucial, as delays in seeking care are believed to contribute to nearly a third of maternal deaths in the country. Lisa Mushega, a policy expert for HENNET, a coalition of Kenyan healthcare providers, noted that PROMPTS helps prevent these dangerous delays by offering a direct line to health professionals. She cited instances where the tool helped a woman identify signs of pre-eclampsia and guided another mother to seek care for a newborn suffering from jaundice.

Experts suggest the program highlights the practical benefits of AI in global health. Smisha Agarwal, director of global digital health at Johns Hopkins University, stated that while AI faces existential concerns and calls for regulation, programs like PROMPTS demonstrate its tangible potential to save lives by improving the quality and accessibility of care.