Case Study · Mobile Health

SaludMóvil / AIEPI Móvil: SMS-Based Health Training for Peru's Andes

A mother in the Peruvian Andes reads an SMS while holding her sleeping baby

Overview

SaludMóvil used DataDyne's Mobile Information Platform (MIP) to give public healthcare professionals and volunteer community health agents in indigenous Peruvian mountain communities simple SMS tools for healthcare training designed to prevent child and maternal deaths.

Peru's rural reality: roughly 11.5 doctors and 80 nurses per 10,000 inhabitants, with instructor-led IMCI (AIEPI) trainings few and far between because of the cost of reaching isolated communities. Poor connectivity made internet-based courses impractical.

SaludMóvil followed up instructor-led courses with SMS messages reinforcing key concepts – messages trainees saved on their phones as a pocket reference, increasing fidelity to life-saving protocols.

One project, two implementations

AIEPI Clínico – health professionals

Reinforced clinical IMCI training for doctors, nurses, and nutritionists at first-level rural facilities.
Two training courses in Acobamba, Huancavelica (March 2010, 25 participants each).
Content covered care protocols for newborns under 2 months and children from 2 months to 5 years.

AIEPI Comunitario – community health agents

Supported low-literate, primarily indigenous volunteer health agents working with pregnant women, mothers, and young children.
Two training courses in Huari, Ancash (April 2010, 30 participants each), implemented with ADRA Perú.
Content covered home visits and key practices on nutrition, newborn health, and care of pregnant women.
The agents embraced the system immediately and proposed extending it to message pregnant mothers directly.

Message channels

AIEPI Clínico reminders
AIEPI Comunitario reminders
Urgent alerts (weather, earthquakes, epidemics)
Ministry of Health announcements
Pan American Health Organization messages
Local health news

Photos

Community health agents receiving health information by SMS during training in Huari, Ancash

Participants in the AIEPI Móvil community training, Huari, Ancash, April 2010

Partners & funding

Implemented by DataDyne and the Zoltner Consulting Group with Peru's Ministry of Health, the Pan American Health Organization, and ADRA Perú. Funded by the United Nations Foundation.

Recognition

Chosen as Peru's nominee for the World Summit Award Mobile (2011 edition).

Technology

Built on DataDyne's Mobile Information Platform (MIP). It worked on any SMS-capable phone – no apps or internet required.