Nellore, ASR excel in Kilkari, Mobile Academy

Vijayawada: Nellore and Alluri Sitarama Raju districts have performed well in implementing two key initiatives—Kilkari and Mobile Academy—aimed at improving maternal and child health. The progress was highlighted at a state-level workshop held on Monday, jointly organised by the department of health and family welfare and the non-profit organisation ARMMAN (Advancing Reduction in Mortality and Morbidity of Mothers, Children and Neonates).

Kilkari is an IVR-based mobile health service that delivers free weekly and timely audio messages on pregnancy, childbirth and childcare to registered families via mobile phones. The service starts from the fourth month of pregnancy and continues until the child turns one year old, providing 72 messages designed to enhance knowledge, change attitudes and build self-efficacy among pregnant women, new mothers and their families.

The process begins when a pregnant woman or the mother of a child under one year registers with an accredited social health activist (ASHA) or auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM). Once their details are entered into the Reproductive Child Health database, they start receiving Kilkari messages.

Similarly, Mobile Academy is an IVR-based mobile training course designed to refresh ASHAs' knowledge of maternal and child health. Since the programme's rollout in January 2023, a total of 38,704 ASHAs have completed the training across 11 districts in the state.

Health commissioner G. Veerapandian stated that the Kilkari and Mobile Academy initiatives have significantly improved the accessibility and quality of healthcare information. He emphasised the government’s commitment to ensuring that every mother and child benefits from these vital services.