Ruth's story: How One Mother's Journey on PROMPTS Helped Her Seek Care at the Right Time

Ruth’s story: How One Mother’s Journey on PROMPTS Helped Her Seek Care at the Right Time

03.06.2024

Ruth’s Journey with PROMPTS

Ruth Nafula is a 25-year-old mother of three. She lives in the western region of Kenya in Bahai Ward within Kimilili Sub-County, located in Bungoma County. She lives with her partner and visits Bahai Dispensary for her antenatal and postnatal care. She signed up for PROMPTS, our digital health navigator, when she was seven months pregnant with her third child.

“I delivered my baby, Ezra Wanyonyi, prematurely and had to stay with him in the hospital. When the doctor approved that we could go home, I felt afraid since this birth was different from the first two births. However, PROMPTS has been my guiding light. Whenever I faced a difficulty, I quickly relied on the messages to help navigate it,” Ruth explains.

Overcoming Challenges with PROMPTS

“A few weeks after we left the hospital, baby Ezra caught an eye infection. I was scared that I might have exposed him to harm unintentionally. I first relied on my neighbors, who shared tips on how I can take care of him. Later, I texted the issue on PROMPTS, and I was given accurate information on what could be wrong with him. I was strongly advised to visit the hospital. Now, my baby is one month old. He is strong and healthy,” Ruth narrates proudly.

Ruth is one of the 23,965 mothers enrolled in PROMPTS in Bungoma County. According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) 2022 report the neonatal deaths is still significantly high in Bungoma County standing at 25 per 1,000 live births as compared to the nationwide neonatal deaths standing at 21 per 100,000 live births.

PROMPTS is addressing this challenge by empowering mothers with medically proven information to boost their confidence while nurturing their babies and seeking medical attention at the right time. Like Ruth, even experienced mothers face unique challenges with each baby. In regions like Bungoma County, if more mothers handle the challenges they face during motherhood like Ruth, it could potentially lead to a reduction in infant mortality.

“I am happy I joined PROMPTS. It has helped me understand how to take care of my baby who was born prematurely. I will continue using the messages until my baby’s health has improved because my hope is he grows up to be a healthy boy,” Ruth testifies. “I wish to encourage mothers who are pregnant and have a baby to sign up for PROMPTS,” she concludes.