Family Planning SMS text messages

1. Family Planning in the
Workplace
Increasing Knowledge and Improving Data
Collection with Mobile Messages
Saraswati Khalsa, Cardno Emerging Markets USA, Ltd
Hajo`van Bejima, Text to Change
Health Initiatives
HIPS for the Private
Sector Project

2. The Partnership
Uganda’s first Workplace Health SMS Program Partners:
 USAID Health Initiatives for the Private Sector
- Implemented by Cardno Emerging Markets Group, Ltd
- Engages private sector companies and facilitates
activities for care & treatment of HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria
o provide health services to employees and the community
 Text to Change
-International non-profit devoted to improving health
systems and promoting life saving knowledge through
mobile phone technology
Health Initiatives
HIPS for the Private
Sector Project

3. The Text to Change Workplace Pilot
 HIPS Engaged three Ugandan partner companies and designed
health messaging content
 TTC Developed communication platform & translated messages
to local languages
 HIPS partner employees served as peer educators to build
awareness about Text to Change
 Questions sent daily, intended to spark conversation on family
planning and health eg. True/False questions such as “family
planning contributes to improved health of mother and child”
 Correct answers registered participants to win a prize; incorrect
responses provided with the correct answer
Health Initiatives
HIPS for the Private
Sector Project

4. Results & Lessons Learned
 1,380 participants in six week pilot
 Pilot associated with 40% increase in demand for sexual & reproductive
health services in company clinics
 Information on services like VCT outreaches can be received promptly
through the SMS
 Responses generated useful data on family planning and reproductive
health that can inform ongoing interventions
 Cost & time effective – doesn’t remove employees from company
production line
 Messages reinforce information received from other avenues
communication approaches.
Health Initiatives
HIPS for the Private
Sector Project

5. Results produced from the Text to Change campaign at Kakira Sugar Works shows that while
knowledge around HIV/AIDS prevention is high, it is low when it comes to MMC (Medical
Male Circumcision) and Long Term Family Planning. Says Marble Nabatanzi, a participant of
the Kakira campaign, “The reason why I liked the questions… is that they helped me to realize
how much I’m at a high risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. I answered each
question honestly and I realized I should be more careful with my life by avoiding behaviors
that put me at risk”.
Health Initiatives
HIPS for the Private
Sector Project

6. Next Steps
 HIPS and Text to Change expanding program to
reach eight companies in 2010
 More emphasis will be placed on mobilization,
especially for women (whose participation was low
in pilot phase)
Health Initiatives
HIPS for the Private
Sector Project

7. Conclusions
 Mobile messaging a powerful tool for disseminating
& collecting information
 Anonymity of mobile phones allows for honest
exchange on personal topics such as family
planning & reproductive health
 Workplace messaging is a practical and affordable
avenue for encouraging healthy behaviours and
care seeking for family planning & maternal care
Health Initiatives
HIPS for the Private
Sector Project

8. “Text at Work & Stay Healthy”
A HIPS / Text To Change Banner Flies High Outside
the Kakira Sugar Works Company in Uganda
Health Initiatives
HIPS for the Private
Sector Project