A historic milestone has been set for pregnant women in Sierra Leone as the Chief Minister, Dr. David Moinena Sengeh, on Tuesday this week launched the Pregnancy Registration and Service Tracking application or PReSTrack. This groundbreaking tool symbolizes the government’s determination to enhance maternal and neonatal health across the country. The innovative app, developed by the Directorate of Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSTI) with technical support from the Ministry of Health (MoH) and UNFPA, is a comprehensive solution designed to address critical gaps in maternal health.
Dr. David Moinena Sengeh delivered a statement before he officially launched the pregnancy tracking app or PreSTrack at the New Brookfield’s Hotel in Freetown.
While launching the application, Chief Minister, Dr. David Moinena Sengeh shared his joy as he danced to a song by nurses and midwives.
He said; “our commitment to improving health outcomes for women and children drives us to take bold steps like this. Unveiling and rolling out this innovative tool to combat maternal and child mortality in Sierra Leone gives me immense joy.”
The Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby could also barely hold his excitement in talking about this new innovation.
“PReSTrack is more than just an app; It is a new tool that will leverage the power of technology to register, track, and monitor pregnancies, and flag high-risk conditions, ensuring that every woman receives the care she needs, when she needs it,” the Minister said.
The app is adapted to function optimally both on and offline. Its mobile-first approach and offline capabilities ensure that even in the most remote areas, healthcare workers can provide timely and effective care.
Sierra Leone has come a long way in addressing maternal health in the World. In just over two years, maternal deaths have been reduced significantly from 1165 to 717 and from 717 to 443. But, 443 is still rated among the highest maternal deaths globally.
These numbers are not just statistics, says Dr. Demby. He went on; “they represent the loss of mothers, daughters, and sisters, with families left to grapple with devastating grief. This stark reality demands urgent and decisive action to protect the health and lives of our women and children.”
Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby, speaking about the PreSTrack App and its capabilities in helping to track and monitor high-risk pregnancies in the country.
The reception of this new application among health workers has been overwhelming. Already, PReSTrack has been piloted in 40 health facilities across urban and rural areas, registering over 11,000 pregnant women. These women are receiving unique system-generated identification numbers that streamline tracking processes and ensure appropriate interventions.
Extending his excitement about the app, Chief Minister, Dr. Sengeh said that there was not a day that President Bio had not asked for the implementation of a technology-based solution for pregnant women in Sierra Leone.
According to him, Sierra Leoneans must be able to work on solutions to save lives and PreSTrack is a representation of homegrown tools that shows the country’s innovative capabilities. Maternal deaths have not gone down by magic, Dr. Sengeh said. “You have to take action and in doing so, there is no excuse.” For him, PreSTrack is not here to replace nurses, but to help them be better at their job.
A cross section of nurses and other healthcare workers at the launch of the PreSTrack event at the New Brookfield’s Hotel in Freetown.
It could be recalled that in 2019, President Bio challenged the Ministry of Health, under the leadership of Dr. Austin Demby, to halve the maternal mortality rate within the Human Capital Development (HCD) Incubator framework. It was a call to action that required innovation, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to improve people’s well-being.
“Today, with the launch of PReSTrack, we take a significant step toward fulfilling that promise. We want to reduce maternal mortality to less than 300 per 100,000 live births by next year, and less than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030,” Dr. Demby pointed out.
Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby and his Deputy 1, Prof. Charles Senessie, dancing on stage with nurses during the launch.
However, for the tool to work, health workers need to be educated and, in this regard, over 160 health personnel have been trained to use the app, enabling them to record and access vital health information in real time using mobile phones and tablets. As seen already, the impact of PReSTrack is very palpable. Significant improvements in antenatal care attendance have been recorded with over 600 women completing their recommended eight antenatal contacts in the pilot facilities. The app has also facilitated real-time referrals, ensuring critical cases receive prompt attention. These early successes demonstrate PReSTrack’s potential to transform maternal healthcare in Sierra Leone.
