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Mobile Mira Channel: A Digital BCC Model for Improving the Uptake of Prenatal Care Services in Rural Nuh, India

Received: 19 September 2022     Accepted: 19 October 2022     Published: 4 November 2022
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Abstract

Every year, 131.4 million babies are born worldwide. Out of these, 303,000 maternal fatalities and an estimated 2.7 million neonatal deaths and 2.6 million stillbirths are thought to occur annually over the world. ZMQ established an innovative BCC model called MIRA Channel which interacts with semi-literate and illiterate women using an innovative digital-Communication for Development (d-C4D) technique for bringing about change in behaviours & attitudes by bridging the knowledge gap and building new demand-seeking behaviours. For millions of semi-literate and illiterate rural women, MIRA Channel employs audio-visual based localised and contextualised messages that act as a "Talking Toolkit," assisting in faster processing and longer retention of knowledge for sustainable behaviour change. The model was tested in Nuh (Mewat) with 2,467 women and 25 MIRA and ASHAs in the intervention and the control group. The findings showed that the MIRA Channel, along with its weekly prenatal care communication packs and other SBCC tools, significantly influenced the overall outcome of all the key parameters like prenatal and postnatal KAPs, uptake of ANCs, uptake of tetanus vaccine, institutional deliveries, initiation of breastfeeting and other parameters. When compared to the control group, MIRA intervention showed significant increase in the uptake of all three ANCs in the intervention area. An important MCH indicator component, institutional delivery, showed improvement of over 67 percent. We discovered that women in the intervention region were more knowledgeable about obstetrics and the danger indicators of a new-born and were better equipped to respond to a situation, should one arise. Findings also showed, on an average 13-18 visits to pregnant women during the course of pregnancy comprising of information delivery and health tracking leads to improved knowledge and positive attitude towards health services. It is discovered that the innovative communication employing localised audio-visual information increased beneficiary service uptake and comprehension.

Published in European Journal of Preventive Medicine (Volume 10, Issue 5)
DOI 10.11648/j.ejpm.20221005.12
Page(s) 102-109
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Maternal and Child Health (MCH), Social and Behaviour Change Communication, (SBCC) Neonatal Deaths, Maternal Fatalities, Digital Communication

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Subhi Quraishi, Hilmi Quraishi, Ayushi Singh, Srikrishna Sulgodu Ramachandra, Ilmana Fasih, et al. (2022). Mobile Mira Channel: A Digital BCC Model for Improving the Uptake of Prenatal Care Services in Rural Nuh, India. European Journal of Preventive Medicine, 10(5), 102-109. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ejpm.20221005.12

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    ACS Style

    Subhi Quraishi; Hilmi Quraishi; Ayushi Singh; Srikrishna Sulgodu Ramachandra; Ilmana Fasih, et al. Mobile Mira Channel: A Digital BCC Model for Improving the Uptake of Prenatal Care Services in Rural Nuh, India. Eur. J. Prev. Med. 2022, 10(5), 102-109. doi: 10.11648/j.ejpm.20221005.12

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    AMA Style

    Subhi Quraishi, Hilmi Quraishi, Ayushi Singh, Srikrishna Sulgodu Ramachandra, Ilmana Fasih, et al. Mobile Mira Channel: A Digital BCC Model for Improving the Uptake of Prenatal Care Services in Rural Nuh, India. Eur J Prev Med. 2022;10(5):102-109. doi: 10.11648/j.ejpm.20221005.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ejpm.20221005.12,
      author = {Subhi Quraishi and Hilmi Quraishi and Ayushi Singh and Srikrishna Sulgodu Ramachandra and Ilmana Fasih and Hemlata Yadav and Mohd Arif and Akram Ahmad},
      title = {Mobile Mira Channel: A Digital BCC Model for Improving the Uptake of Prenatal Care Services in Rural Nuh, India},
      journal = {European Journal of Preventive Medicine},
      volume = {10},
      number = {5},
      pages = {102-109},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ejpm.20221005.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ejpm.20221005.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ejpm.20221005.12},
      abstract = {Every year, 131.4 million babies are born worldwide. Out of these, 303,000 maternal fatalities and an estimated 2.7 million neonatal deaths and 2.6 million stillbirths are thought to occur annually over the world. ZMQ established an innovative BCC model called MIRA Channel which interacts with semi-literate and illiterate women using an innovative digital-Communication for Development (d-C4D) technique for bringing about change in behaviours & attitudes by bridging the knowledge gap and building new demand-seeking behaviours. For millions of semi-literate and illiterate rural women, MIRA Channel employs audio-visual based localised and contextualised messages that act as a "Talking Toolkit," assisting in faster processing and longer retention of knowledge for sustainable behaviour change. The model was tested in Nuh (Mewat) with 2,467 women and 25 MIRA and ASHAs in the intervention and the control group. The findings showed that the MIRA Channel, along with its weekly prenatal care communication packs and other SBCC tools, significantly influenced the overall outcome of all the key parameters like prenatal and postnatal KAPs, uptake of ANCs, uptake of tetanus vaccine, institutional deliveries, initiation of breastfeeting and other parameters. When compared to the control group, MIRA intervention showed significant increase in the uptake of all three ANCs in the intervention area. An important MCH indicator component, institutional delivery, showed improvement of over 67 percent. We discovered that women in the intervention region were more knowledgeable about obstetrics and the danger indicators of a new-born and were better equipped to respond to a situation, should one arise. Findings also showed, on an average 13-18 visits to pregnant women during the course of pregnancy comprising of information delivery and health tracking leads to improved knowledge and positive attitude towards health services. It is discovered that the innovative communication employing localised audio-visual information increased beneficiary service uptake and comprehension.},
     year = {2022}
    }
    

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    T1  - Mobile Mira Channel: A Digital BCC Model for Improving the Uptake of Prenatal Care Services in Rural Nuh, India
    AU  - Subhi Quraishi
    AU  - Hilmi Quraishi
    AU  - Ayushi Singh
    AU  - Srikrishna Sulgodu Ramachandra
    AU  - Ilmana Fasih
    AU  - Hemlata Yadav
    AU  - Mohd Arif
    AU  - Akram Ahmad
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    PY  - 2022
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ejpm.20221005.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ejpm.20221005.12
    T2  - European Journal of Preventive Medicine
    JF  - European Journal of Preventive Medicine
    JO  - European Journal of Preventive Medicine
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    EP  - 109
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-8230
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    AB  - Every year, 131.4 million babies are born worldwide. Out of these, 303,000 maternal fatalities and an estimated 2.7 million neonatal deaths and 2.6 million stillbirths are thought to occur annually over the world. ZMQ established an innovative BCC model called MIRA Channel which interacts with semi-literate and illiterate women using an innovative digital-Communication for Development (d-C4D) technique for bringing about change in behaviours & attitudes by bridging the knowledge gap and building new demand-seeking behaviours. For millions of semi-literate and illiterate rural women, MIRA Channel employs audio-visual based localised and contextualised messages that act as a "Talking Toolkit," assisting in faster processing and longer retention of knowledge for sustainable behaviour change. The model was tested in Nuh (Mewat) with 2,467 women and 25 MIRA and ASHAs in the intervention and the control group. The findings showed that the MIRA Channel, along with its weekly prenatal care communication packs and other SBCC tools, significantly influenced the overall outcome of all the key parameters like prenatal and postnatal KAPs, uptake of ANCs, uptake of tetanus vaccine, institutional deliveries, initiation of breastfeeting and other parameters. When compared to the control group, MIRA intervention showed significant increase in the uptake of all three ANCs in the intervention area. An important MCH indicator component, institutional delivery, showed improvement of over 67 percent. We discovered that women in the intervention region were more knowledgeable about obstetrics and the danger indicators of a new-born and were better equipped to respond to a situation, should one arise. Findings also showed, on an average 13-18 visits to pregnant women during the course of pregnancy comprising of information delivery and health tracking leads to improved knowledge and positive attitude towards health services. It is discovered that the innovative communication employing localised audio-visual information increased beneficiary service uptake and comprehension.
    VL  - 10
    IS  - 5
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • ZMQ Development, New Delhi, India

  • ZMQ Global, Montreal, Canada

  • ZMQ Development, New Delhi, India

  • IKP Knowledge Park, Hyderabad, India

  • ZMQ Global, Montreal, Canada

  • ZMQ Development, New Delhi, India

  • ZMQ Development, New Delhi, India

  • ZMQ Development, New Delhi, India

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