Meghalaya Strengthens Digital Maternal Health Monitoring Through Mother App

Under the Rescue Mission, the Mother App enabled the health system to track pregnant women and lactating mothers using individual-level information.

Meghalaya has stepped up efforts to strengthen digital maternal health monitoring through the Mother App, with health officials in Samanda Block, East Garo Hills, reviewing the platform's implementation and addressing challenges faced by frontline workers.

The initiative is aimed at improving pregnancy tracking, follow-ups, and maternal and child healthcare delivery.

The performance review brought together Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), Multi-Purpose Workers (MPWs), Medical Officers, and state and district health officials.

Chaired by the District Medical and Health Officer, the meeting focused on the progress of the digital application, reporting gaps, and ways to improve its use at the community level.

The Mother App plays a key role in Meghalaya's digital maternal health monitoring strategy by enabling ANMs to track pregnant women, monitor high-risk pregnancies, and facilitate timely follow-ups.

By making pregnancy-related information available to healthcare workers, the platform supports continuity of care for mothers and children.

The state's focus on digital maternal health monitoring builds on the broader Rescue Mission, launched in November 2020 to reduce preventable maternal and infant deaths.

Meghalaya recorded 244 maternal deaths in 2020-21, with a Maternal Mortality Ratio of 295, while difficult terrain and limited access to healthcare facilities created additional challenges.

Under the Rescue Mission, the Mother App enabled the health system to track pregnant women and lactating mothers using individual-level information.

Medical Officers and frontline workers could identify high-risk cases, follow up on care, and anticipate barriers that could affect pregnancy outcomes.

Importantly, the digital platform was not limited to maintaining records. Meghalaya began using the information generated through the Mother App during regular district- and block-level reviews, helping teams identify problems and monitor follow-up actions.

According to the State Health Systems Resource Centre, Meghalaya's maternal deaths have declined by 56% and infant deaths by 40% since the Rescue Mission was launched.

The state is now working towards further strengthening its health system with the long-term goal of preventing avoidable maternal and infant deaths.

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