ARMMAN - Helping Mothers and Children

ARMMAN offers "mMitra," a free mobile voice call service sending targeted preventive care information weekly/bi-weekly to enrolled women through pregnancy and infancy. The rationale lies in addressing maternal morbidity and mortality through behaviour change communication using mobile voice calls. The programme comprises two verticals: the Hospital Vertical enrols women during check-ups, and the Community Vertical enrols them via partner NGOs in slum communities. Customized voice messages are sent at chosen timeslots and preferred languages. Results show impacts like increased IFA tablet intake, improved family planning knowledge, exclusive breastfeeding rates, and infant weight gain. mMitra's innovations include AI integration, two-way communication, and multimedia content testing. Recognized with various awards, including the GSK-Save the Children Health Innovation Award 2017, mMitra has been hailed as a significant innovation for maternal and child health.

ARMMAN operates a programme known as the Mobile Academy. This initiative is a specialized training course for ASHA, the frontline health workers. Its objective is to refresh their knowledge about life-saving preventive health measures while enhancing the quality of their interactions with expecting and new mothers as well as their families. The Mobile Academy, previously executed by BBC Media Action in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, employs IVR technology accessible through simple voice calls, independent of handset type. The curriculum spans 33 months, covering pregnancy up until the child reaches 2 years old, divided into chapters, lessons, and quizzes. The health workers' performance is assessed with a cumulative pass/fail score upon course completion. The programme is accessible in four languages: Hindi, Oriya, Assamese, and Bengali.

ARMMAN runs the Swasth Kadam programme, which offers live telephonic counselling for caregivers of infants aged 6-36 months facing moderate malnutrition. The goal is to prevent progression to severe malnutrition and support recovery. It focuses on vital aspects such as breastfeeding, complementary feeding, hygiene, family planning, and more. Weekly phone calls connect with primary caregivers, typically mothers. Infants are enrolled through mMitra database linkage and surveys in high-prevalence regions. The initiative empowers caregivers, enables informed decisions, and aids treatment adherence. It leverages telecom and technology for scalability and potential integration with existing health services. A proof-of-concept study showed positive knowledge and behaviour changes among caregivers.

It manages "Kilkari" and "Mobile Academy" from 2019 to 2024, an initiative prompted by the success of mMitra. "Kilkari" delivers mobile health education using IVR technology, providing timely, accurate information about reproductive, maternal, neonatal, and child health. The programme aims to enhance families' understanding and adoption of life-saving health practices, focusing on the critical period from the 2nd trimester of pregnancy to the child's first year (72 weeks). Subscribers receive weekly, stage-specific calls in multiple languages, directly on their mobile phones. The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare collaborated with BBC Media Action to initially launch Kilkari.

This initiative trains women health entrepreneurs (Arogya Sakhis) from rural communities to provide home-based preventive care, diagnostic tests, and treatment interventions during the antenatal and infancy period. The goal is to address the poor health indicators in rural areas compared to urban areas, where maternal and child health services are often inadequate. Arogya Sakhis are equipped with medical kits and trained to perform basic diagnostic tests, aided by a mobile application that guides their care process and alerts them to high-risk signs. This approach not only improves healthcare access but also empowers these women financially and with valuable skills. The impact of the Arogya Sakhi programme has been notable, showing increases in women's antenatal care visits, infant weight gain, and awareness about growth monitoring. Currently active in Palghar district, Maharashtra, the programme aims to expand its positive influence on women and children in the region.