Maternova and the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals have partnered to pilot the creation of an interactive web-based maternal health Smart Map. The Smart Map will build upon open source mapping technologies to pinpoint the exact location of health facilities providing maternal/ reproductive health care in Chiapas, a marginalized state in Mexico and provide easily updated data on clinic staffing and services. The project is funded by The MacArthur Foundation.

The project is collaborating with Mexican-based organizations to make the process of building and using the map culturally appropriate. We have partnered with the Comite Promotor por una Maternidad sin Riesgos, a Mexican organization that works to make maternity a safer process. The Comite will provide input and insights throughout the project and ensure continued use of the map in the state of interest and beyond.

What is the Smart Map? Smart Map = Map + database + social network

• An interactive, dynamic web-based map that shows exactly where clinics are and their services
• Geographic data supplied by Google Maps
• Clinic locations and services are inputs from country databases and on-the-ground providers
• Clinic data is stored in a database and depicted on the map with a virtual pushpin

An Unmet Need in Maternal Health

The most effective life-saving intervention to prevent maternal deaths is for a woman to have access to a functioning, well-equipped emergency obstetric care facility with skilled attendants. Both the government and civil society groups in Mexico are interested in further acceleration toward MDG5 (the Millennium Development Goal) for maternal health; as such, the government of Mexico has a stated interest in continuing to improve emergency obstetric care. However, systematic, comprehensive, and easily accessible maps of public and private clinics do not exist in a format that make it readily apparent which facilities provide what level of care.

How the Maternal Health Mapping Tool Can Help

We are proposing online maps that will provide regularly updated key data on EmOC services. By providing information on facility location and services provided, this pilot project directly addresses the questions of ‘who are’ and ‘where are’ the skilled providers of maternal care in a specific geographic area. Central to the mapping initiative is the idea that health care providers and clinics can map themselves rapidly, accurately and cost-effectively. The dynamic nature of the map allows real-time updates, and quality control processes will help ensure that information on the map is current and accurate. The real experts on the clinics are the local health care providers and other stakeholders—their input in this process will be invaluable. ARHP and Maternova will work closely with them as they populate the map.