Within the town of Kongowea, Mombasa County, Rose Mwikali Musili, a 38-year-old mother of four, was running a small hotel until early this year. She and her husband, Kwale decided that she needed a break from her busy life of entrepreneurship to focus on taking care of her newborn daughter,Zainab. Little did she know that this pause in her routine would bring her face-to-face with a life-changing risk that would need quick intervention.
When she visited Kongowea Health Center for one of her routine clinic appointments, she interacted with Fadhil Mzee, a Community Health Promoter who has been working with Jacaranda Health for over 5 years. Within the health center, Fadhil helps expectant and new mothers enroll on the PROMPTS platform, ensuring they understood that the 2-way SMS platform assisted mothers with medical advice that could save their lives and their children’s lives. It was through Fadhil that Rose was introduced to this lifesaving program.
A few weeks after her clinic visit, Rose noticed something alarming in Zainab. She had developed a fever and was struggling to breathe while breastfeeding. As any mother would, Rose panicked. She quickly remembered the advice Fadhil had given her about PROMPTS. Without hesitation, she sent a message through the platform to inquire if her child’s condition was normal or if she needed medical help.
Within moments, to her relief, Rose received a call from one of Jacaranda Health’s helpdesk team members, The call came with clear and urgent instructions; Take Zainab to the hospital immediately. Not wasting any time, Rose and her husband rushed to Kongowea Health Center. Upon arrival, her baby was diagnosed with pneumonia, a life-threatening condition, especially for newborns. Zainab was admitted right away for treatment.
“The messages helped me because I was able to rush my baby to the hospital to get the care she needed. If I had taken my time, my baby would have faced more danger, but thanks to PROMPTS, I acted fast. They later called to follow up if I had taken my baby to the hospital,” Rose recounted.
Zainab’s recovery was swift but the gravity of the situation left a lasting impression on Rose.
“I can encourage more mothers to join PROMPTS because it helps them know how to take care of their babies. The service helped me know my baby was in danger, which made me act quickly to help her,” she reflected.
For Rose and her husband, PROMPTS was more than just a series of messages—it was a lifeline. The timely information empowered her to make the right decisions at a critical moment.
