UMUAHIA, Nigeria — The Abia State Government has deployed a digital application named CYTrack to identify, monitor, and manage high-risk and teenage pregnancies across the state, as part of its ongoing efforts to reduce maternal and child mortality.

Okey Kanu, the Commissioner for Information, announced the initiative on Monday following an Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti. The Ministry of Health is piloting the application, which has reportedly been successful in tracking teenage pregnancies and monitoring expectant mothers through delivery to prevent avoidable deaths.

“This app, referred to as CYTrack, has been used to successfully track teenage pregnancies and monitor such pregnancies up to delivery to prevent maternal mortality,” Mr Kanu stated. He added that the technology's deployment is a component of the Otti administration's health sector reforms, which are yielding measurable improvements in healthcare delivery.

Data from functional Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) indicate increased healthcare utilisation, with outpatient visits and deliveries seeing a rise. The first 50 functionalised PHCs accounted for over 20 percent of the 1,067,000 outpatient department visits recorded between July 2025 and June 2026. Three additional PHCs were functionalised between July 27 and August 7, bringing the total to 151, with another 25 equipped centres scheduled for functionalisation within three months.

Regarding the Abia State Health Insurance Scheme, enrolments increased from 233,000 to 237,000 between July 27 and August 7. The Abiriba Community Improvement Union in North America has committed to sponsoring over 1,000 individuals under the scheme, a move the government hopes other communities will emulate.

In line with health sector transformation, the Abia State Civil Service Commission is set to recruit more healthcare professionals. A total of 742 medical personnel have been hired so far, and the new recruitment drive targets Medical Officers, Dental Officers, and Consultants for both full-time and part-time appointments.

Mr Kanu highlighted external recognition for the state's health sector reforms, citing a report by Philips Consulting and SBI that ranked Abia first nationally in healthcare affordability and among the top three in healthcare quality. He described this ranking as an independent validation of the transformation occurring in the state’s health sector.

Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, the Commissioner for Health, explained that the CYTrack application was developed from a pilot project using Google technology. It collects essential demographic and pregnancy information, including a woman's age and last menstrual period, enabling health workers to identify high-risk pregnancies and manage antenatal care schedules.

Vulnerable groups, such as teenagers, women without antenatal care, and those relying on traditional birth attendants, are particularly susceptible to pregnancy and childbirth complications. The CYTrack application sends reminders for antenatal appointments and alerts community adults if a woman misses her scheduled care.

“When we don’t see them, the app, two days before their antenatal, sends a reminder that they should come for antenatal,” Mr Uche, a medical doctor and professor, explained. The system also helps track pregnant women nearing their delivery dates to ensure they reach health facilities when needed, and has already contributed to successful deliveries among teenage pregnancies managed through the programme.

The initiative was designed to address Abia's specific maternal health challenges and is being adapted to the state's unique needs. The government aims not only to provide well-equipped and staffed hospitals but also to tackle the root causes of maternal mortality by identifying vulnerable women early and ensuring timely care.

Mr Uche urged pregnant women to enrol in the state’s health insurance programme, noting that registered individuals are entitled to free maternal health services and delivery, including Caesarean sections, under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.