Amakomaya: GPG Edition
This document outlines the strategic framework of Amakomaya as a contributor to the Global Public Goods (GPG) ecosystem. Our goal is to democratize maternal and child health through open, inclusive, and scalable digital solutions.
Root: Introduction & Vision
Introduction
Amakomaya (meaning "Mother's Love" in Nepali) began as a digital lifeline for expectant mothers in rural Nepal. As the world shifts toward digital equity, Amakomaya is evolving from a localized tool into a Global Public Good (GPG). By leveraging mobile technology and open-source principles, we bridge the gap between healthcare providers and marginalized communities, ensuring that "Health for All" is not just a slogan, but a digital reality.
Vision & Mission
- Vision: A world where every pregnancy is safe, every birth is celebrated, and every child is born healthy, powered by open and inclusive digital health ecosystems.
- Mission: To democratize maternal health expertise through open-source technology, community-led data, and localized digital interventions that leave no mother behind.
Why Global Public Goods?
Maternal mortality and health crises do not respect international borders. Amakomaya adopts the GPG framework because health is a universal right.
- Non-excludability: No mother should be denied life-saving information due to an inability to pay.
- Non-rivalry: The use of our pregnancy tracking algorithms by one clinic in Nepal does not diminish its availability for a clinic in Ethiopia.
- Sustainability: By being a public good, we invite global collaboration to ensure the software evolves with medical science.
How It Works
- Amakomaya operates on a three-tier architecture of inclusion: Content Layer: Medically vetted, culturally sensitive audio/visual content available in local dialects.
- Logic Layer: Open-source monitoring algorithms that identify "danger signs" during pregnancy.
- Data Layer: Secure, anonymized health trends that provide ministries of health with real-time insights for resource allocation.
GPG Framework & Principles
What are GPG?
Global Public Goods (GPGs) are institutions, mechanisms, and outcomes whose benefits extend across borders, encompassing different countries, people, and generations. In the digital health space, GPGs are essential to prevent "digital colonization" and ensure that developing nations own their health infrastructure.
Principles
Our development is guided by the following "North Star" principles:
- Open Source: Our code is public, auditable, and free to fork.
- Interoperability: We follow HL7 FHIR and OpenHIE standards to play well with national health stacks like DHIS2.
- Privacy by Design: We employ strict encryption to protect the identity of mothers and children.
- Localized Context: Technology must adapt to the user’s language and literacy level, not the other way around.
Global Initiatives
Amakomaya aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
- SDG 3: Improve maternal health and reduce neonatal mortality.
- SDG 10: Reduce inequality by providing rural women with the same information as urban women.
- SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals—collaborating with the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA) to scale impact.
Types of Public Goods
Digital Public Goods
As a recognized Digital Public Good, Amakomaya provides:
- The Mobile App: An offline-first Android application for mothers and health volunteers.
- The Web Dashboard: A monitoring tool for government health coordinators.
- API Documentation: Clear guides for developers to integrate Amakomaya into existing hospital systems.
Health Public Goods
We contribute to the global health commons by:
- Automating Risk Detection: Algorithms that flag high-risk pregnancies for immediate intervention.
- Immunization Tracking: Digital registries that ensure no child misses a life-saving vaccine.
- Nutrition Guidance: Evidence-based digital counseling to combat stunting and malnutrition.
Knowledge Public Goods
Amakomaya acts as a repository of collective wisdom:
- Multi-lingual Content: A library of health modules translated into multiple local languages/dialects.
- Deployment Playbooks: Documentation on how to implement digital health in "low-connectivity" zones.
- Community Data: Anonymized datasets that help researchers understand maternal health trends in South Asia.