Google.org Funds Nigerian Startup Helium Health to Deploy AI for Maternal Care

Google.org has awarded a $2.5 million grant to Helium Health, a Nigerian health tech company, to integrate clinical AI models into primary maternal healthcare services. This funding is part of Google.org's $30 million Impact Challenge: AI for Government Innovation, which supports organizations leveraging AI to enhance public services. Helium Health was the sole Nigerian recipient among 15 global organizations selected for this initiative.

The initiative focuses on deploying AI to help pregnant women in Nigeria identify risks early and access necessary care. The system will connect women with healthcare providers using electronic medical records and AI-powered clinical decision support tools. This aims to improve the quality of maternal healthcare and provide governments with data to strengthen health services, ultimately working towards a significant reduction in maternal mortality.

The rollout strategy was presented in Lagos, with the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, in attendance. The program will initially launch in Lagos, Delta, Kano, and Oyo States, with Lagos serving as the primary operational hub. Helium Health's CEO, Dimeji Sofowora, highlighted their decade-long commitment to improving healthcare in Africa, noting that their maternal health initiatives have already reached over 3.5 million women. They aim to reach an additional 1.9 million women over three years and contribute to a 30% reduction in maternal mortality.

Dr. Shona Oluwatola, Head of Public Health at Helium Health, emphasized the critical need for this intervention, citing that Nigeria accounts for nearly three in ten global maternal deaths. The project's goal is to prevent women from losing their lives due to lack of risk awareness or inability to access care. Beyond funding, Helium Health will also participate in a Google.org Accelerator, receiving expert support from Google engineers and AI product specialists to further develop and scale their solution.