KENYATTA National Hospital has partnered with Colorado University to improve maternal health care. The project, the first of its kind will use a pen technology called partopen system, which will improve the quality of care provided to expectant mothers.

The university donated 20 pens, which will used in the labour ward. The researchers donated a laser printer to the medical records office.

John Ong'ech, a reproductive health specialist, said by using the digital pen technology, the hospital hoped to increase completion rates of the labour monitoring tool used by nurses. Ong'ech said by not relying on the keyboards or cords, the partopen, through the use of a small camera in the tip of the pen provides a low cost and intuitive solution to completion challenges. "With the partopen, nurses receive an automated decision support and additional information on how different parts of the partopen should be filled out," said the specialist.

He said the use of partopen can be highly effective in reducing complications from prolonged labour for mothers and their newborns. Ong'ech said the nurse were already using the pens and they had provided valuable feedback on the partopen. University of Colorado researcher Heather Underwood said the partopen system has been implemented such that supplies and support are available for the sustainable continuation of the project by local personnel.