Center for Health Market Innovations (CHMI)

Programs

RapidSMS, Nigeria

last updated Jun 5, 2012

Overview

Implementing organization: 
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
Legal Status: 
Private (not-for-profit)

Funding

Primary Source of Funding: 
Donor
Funders: 
UNICEF

Technology

Technology Used: 
Phones › SMS/MMS (Text Message)
Technology Purpose: 
Improving Data Management › Data Collection, Mitigating Fraud & Abuse
Summary: 

In Nigeria, RapidSMS was piloted in the first phase of a 70 million ‘long lasting insecticide-treated nets’ distribution campaign.

Key program components: 

As a pilot activity, RapidSMS was used in Kano state to capture data of commodities from state stores to the Local Government Area (LGA) and distribution points using logisticians in 21 selected LGAs and 4 pilot LGAs for mobilization and distribution of nets. Distributors who were not reporting were able to be identified and contacted immediately to follow up on distribution problems.

Over the course of fourteen days, RapidSMS captured data for the distribution of 141,773 coupons, or 283,546 LLINs in total. During this time, 232 stock transfers were tracked, spread out over 226 unique locations. NMCP calculated that RapidSMS directly monitored distributions that met 69 percent of the projected demand in Kano State, or 652,919 beneficiaries. This targeted real time data allowed NMCP to later follow up on vulnerable pockets, delayed shipments and other irregularities.

Based on government recommendations, RapidSMS will be scaled up to monitor the rest of the campaign later in the year.

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