Vodacom
by AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG – TECHNOLOGY has enabled some 1,4 million South African mothers and pregnant women to access reliable health information during pregnancy and children’s early years.
They have accessed such information from a single, easy-to-use source.
The Mum & Baby service is an initiative by mobile operator, Vodacom, which introduced the offering in 2017.
Since its launch the service continues to connect mothers and caregivers to stage-based pregnancy, maternal, neonatal, child health advice and wellbeing information.
Takalani Netshitenzhe, Chief Officer: Corporate Affairs at Vodacom, said providing access to reliable health information and advice throughout the pregnancy stages and early years played a pivotal role in improving maternal and child health in South Africa.
“The growth of the platform to 1,4 million also reflects the forward momentum that Vodacom has been able to make in closing the mobile gender gap through the Mum & Baby service,” she said.
The Mobile Gender Gap Report 2018 shows that a significant gender gap, in terms of mobile ownership and use, still exists.
According to Vodafone-commissioned research, the majority of Mum & Baby subscribers (81 percent), live in provinces of Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.
Users comprise of pregnant women (30 percent) and mothers (27 percent), with roughly half of the users aged between 18 and 24.
The most interesting user group is South African fathers who are stepping up and taking an interest in the wellbeing of their kids. They represent 24 percent of the users.
Overall, 99 percent of Mum & Baby users are prepaid subscribers.
– CAJ News
