Helium Health secures US$2.5m Google.org grant for maternal healthcare AI

Helium Health has secured a US$2.5m grant to deploy AI-powered tools aimed at improving maternal healthcare across four Nigerian states.

The funding will support the rollout of clinical AI technology in primary maternal healthcare services across Lagos, Delta, Kano and Oyo, with Lagos serving as the main operational launch site.

The initiative will use the company’s HeliumMum platform to help pregnant women identify potential health risks earlier and access appropriate care.

Dimeji Sofowora, chief executive of Helium Health, said: “For the past decade, Helium Health has been building the technology and partnerships needed to improve healthcare delivery across Africa.

“Through our maternal health initiatives, we’ve already reached over 3.5 million women, and Google.org’s support gives us an opportunity to build on that foundation, scale what works, and reach even more women with quality maternal healthcare.”

The technology connects patients with healthcare providers equipped with electronic medical records and AI-powered clinical decision support systems.

It will also provide governments with data intended to strengthen maternal health services and improve outcomes.

Helium Health aims to reach an additional 1.9 million women over three years and contribute to a 30 per cent reduction in maternal mortality.

The company says its existing maternal health initiatives have already reached more than 3.5 million women.

The grant comes from Google.org, which selected Helium Health as one of 15 global recipients of its US$30m Impact Challenge: AI for Government Innovation.

The programme supports organisations working with governments to improve public services through AI.

Recipients will also receive technical assistance from Google engineers and AI product specialists through a dedicated accelerator programme.

The Nigerian rollout plans were presented in Lagos during a joint executive briefing with Lagos State governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, led by executives from Google and Helium Health.

Dr Shona Oluwatola, head of public health at Helium Health, outlined the scale of maternal mortality in Nigeria and the company’s targets for the programme.

She said: “Nigeria accounts for nearly three in every ten maternal deaths globally. Behind every maternal death is a woman whose family expected her to come home.

“Our goal is to reach an additional 1.9 million women over three years and contribute to a 30 per cent reduction in maternal mortality.

“Ultimately, we want to ensure that no woman loses her life simply because she didn’t know she was at risk or couldn’t access the care she needed.”

Maggie Johnson, global head of Google.org, said the initiative was intended to help organisations put AI technology into use in public services.

She said: “AI holds incredible potential to transform public services, but there is often a gap between promise and practice.”