Vela Njisane@vela

PROBLEM & CONTEXT Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest maternal and child mortality rates globally, with preventable birth complications and diseases being major contributing factors. ​Improving maternal and child-health drives productivity and can result in up to $3.8 trillion in global economic benefits by 2035. The cause for the high maternal and child mortality rates are multifactorial. For example lack of access to quality care, poor infrastructure, socio economic issues, lack of health education, and a shortage of skilled healthcare workers. It has been observed that localised health interventions and awareness have had some positive impact (World Economic Forum, 2024). PROPOSED SOLUTION Our solution BrightStart helps caregivers and healthcare workers navigate child-health government educational resources and guidelines. It features a parent chat, healthcare worker query tool, and scenario-based learning for building diagnostic and communication skills. VALUE PROPOSITION BrightStart helps parents navigate their child’s Road to Health Book and other public child health resources with ease so they can confidently track their health and development. It also helps healthcare workers quickly access and review the Road to Health Book, IMCI guidelines, and other national resources to build knowledge and confidence in providing quality child care.