Expanding Access to Health Information through Digital Tools and Innovative Approaches

In Indonesia, the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program is one of President Prabowo's flagship policies, targeting millions of beneficiaries, including schoolchildren, infants, toddlers, and pregnant women. 
From January to October 2025, CISDI monitored 5,455 online news articles, 407 social media posts, and 192 media items quoting CISDI using AI-assisted thematic analysis to identify shifts in framing around MBG. We found out that while initially framed as a nutrition-focused intervention, government communication gradually shifted the narrative toward economic success, emphasizing job creation and productivity, and neglecting nutrition rights and transparent governance.
To increase public and media awareness on nutrition rights, CISDI employed strategic communication and advocacy methods, including four media roundtables, five press releases, over five policy meetings with ministries and Parliament, collaborations with NGOs, and digital campaigns with 31 Instagram posts (reaching 1,739,526 accounts) and 50 TikTok videos (538,508 views) promoting rights-based and evidence-driven messages.
Findings reveal that between January and July, economic narratives dominated media coverage, while nutrition-focused framing appeared in less than 10% of reports. Following the August 2025 food poisoning incident, coverage shifted sharply toward accountability and food safety. CISDI's evidence-based advocacy directly influenced policymaking, including two parliamentary hearings, meetings with the National Nutrition Agency, and a policy brief submission to the Ministry of Health. Notably, CISDI's policy analysis was cited by Parliament, demonstrating measurable impact.
This case highlights how data-driven advocacy can realign narratives, promote transparency, and safeguard human rights through evidence-based communication.

Sub-Saharan Africa's population is expected to surpass 2.5 billion by 2050, with a significant youth demographic. In Uganda, adolescents under 18 make up 53% of the population, and unintended pregnancies, especially among girls aged 15-19, pose health and socioeconomic challenges, including school dropouts. Despite limited healthcare access, particularly for unmarried adolescents, the Mobile Money Agents (MMAs) network offers a potential solution. MMAs are widely visited by young people, with agents who often build close relationships with adolescent clients.
This study tested the feasibility of MMAs as a health service delivery platform, focusing on sexual and reproductive health (SRH). The intervention involved trained MMAs providing SRH information, distributing free condoms, and referring adolescents to healthcare facilities. Implemented in Iganga and Bugiri municipalities for four months, the intervention reached 104,849 adolescent clients, with notable increases in condom use and client satisfaction. Specifically, condom use among sexually active adolescents in the intervention group increased by 10.4 percentage points.
Challenges included initial resistance from local leaders, but over time, community appreciation grew. The study highlighted the potential for MMAs to serve as effective platforms for SRH information, contraceptive distribution, and peer education, while also boosting MMA business operations. To scale this model, it is essential to integrate it with Uganda's public health system and telecommunications networks. This model shows promise for broader use across Sub-Saharan Africa, addressing adolescent SRH needs in regions with similar mobile money infrastructure.

The "Healthy Mothers and Smiling Babies" pilot used mobile technology to improve communication and service uptake for maternal and child health (MNCH) in two districts of Northern Ghana. The initiative connected community health workers, pregnant women, and mothers with children under two through the Kpododo platform, which sends automated voice and text messages in 15 local languages. Forty Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) facilities each received a tablet and trained staff to register and support clients. Between March and September 2023, 4,076 clients were enrolled and received over 35,500 personalized health messages on antenatal care, postnatal care, nutrition, malaria prevention, and family planning. The project combined digital communication with QR code tracking on client health record books to improve follow-up and continuity of care. Data from 316 client surveys and eight focus group discussions showed better appointment adherence and stronger engagement with health workers. The pilot demonstrates how localized mobile communication supports SBCC outcomes by improving access to timely, relevant information and reinforcing client–provider relationships. Lessons from this work show that community trust, message personalization, and integration with existing health systems are key to sustaining impact and advancing equitable access to care.