At Reach Digital Health, we believe that lasting progress is only possible through collaboration. The most impactful, far-reaching, and people-centred solutions are those built in partnership.

In 2025, our commitment to collaboration is stronger than ever. From deepening our partnerships with Ministries of Health to co-creating solutions with global leaders in innovation and equity, we’re proud to be part of a growing network reimagining the future of healthcare. Here’s a look at some of the partnerships we’ve celebrated in 2024 and 2025:

Ministry of Health Partnerships: Scaling Proven Solutions

We have deepened our collaboration with national governments to integrate digital health platforms into public health systems, helping to strengthen and scale essential services.

South Africa — Department of Health (DOH)

The continued evolution of the MomConnect programme has reached a remarkable milestone — supporting 5 million mothers across South Africa. In partnership with the Department of Health, MomConnect has contributed to increased antenatal care attendance and improved immunisation rates. Together, we’ve enhanced features such as multilingual support, self-registration, and data dashboards for decision-makers. Our journey doesn’t end here; we are committed to reaching the next 5 million mothers, ensuring every woman has access to the trusted information she needs to make informed choices and thrive.

‍

Mozambique — Ministry of Health (MISAU)

The AlôVida Plus platform, developed in collaboration with VillageReach, MISAU and other local partners, supports caregivers with vital health information. This includes vaccine reminders, maternal and child health stage-based messaging, emotional health content, and on-demand voice support, reaching families across the country via WhatsApp and Interactive Voice Response (IVR).

‍

Zambia — Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI)

In Zambia, Reach is proud to partner with the Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI) to strengthen the country’s emergency response and disease surveillance systems. At the height of the recent cholera outbreak, we swiftly developed and deployed a WhatsApp chatbot to provide affected communities with timely, accurate information — supporting self-screening, health education, and real-time access to helpdesk services. This collaboration has since evolved into a broader initiative to scale digital tools for other public health areas, underpinned by a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ZNPHI and Reach. Together, we are working to ensure all Zambians, regardless of device type or connectivity, can access critical health services and information through inclusive, mobile-first platforms.

‍

Tanzania — Ministry of Health

We are excited to share that Reach has received an official Letter of Support from the Health Promotion Section (HPS) of the Tanzanian Ministry of Health. This endorsement marks a significant milestone in our growing collaboration with the HPS and our partners at Development Media International (DMI).

Together, we are working toward a shared vision: to enhance health communication and digital engagement across Tanzania. With a clear roadmap in place, our partnership focuses on expanding the reach and impact of public health messaging — ensuring that individuals, families, and communities have timely, trusted access to information they need to lead healthier lives.

‍

Zanzibar — Ministry of Health

We partnered with D-tree and the Zanzibar Ministry of Health to co-create a groundbreaking maternal health solution, one that brings personalised, life-saving information directly into the hands of Zanzibar’s mothers. Backed by strong government leadership, and officially endorsed through a letter of support from the Ministry of Health, this initiative builds on our shared commitment to advancing digital health solutions that improve maternal care at scale.

Leveraging on over a decade of D-tree’s collaboration with the ministry to scale Jamii ni Afya, Zanzibar’s nationally recognised community health programme, our partnership is taking the next big step: delivering direct-to-client support through an AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot. Fully integrated into the Jamii ni Afya system, this tool will provide pregnant women with timely reminders, essential health tips, and on-demand access to counseling while connecting them to their local community health volunteers (CHVs).

By combining Reach’s 16 years of experience scaling trusted platforms like MomConnect with D-tree’s deep roots in Zanzibar’s digital health ecosystem, we’re working together to strengthen the continuum of care within and beyond the health system. This collaboration isn’t just about technology. It’s about building trust, driving meaningful behaviour change, and ensuring every mother has the support she needs to stay healthy during pregnancy and beyond.

‍

Rwanda — Ministry of Health

Reach and YLabs are proud to be partnering with the Rwanda Ministry of Health to strengthen and scale CyberRwanda, a youth-led digital platform that delivers critical sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) content to young people across the country. By integrating Reach’s Young Africa Live (YAL) WhatsApp chatbot into CyberRwanda’s existing ecosystem, we are unlocking real-time, private, and personalised engagement — meeting young people where they already are. This new channel will complement CyberRwanda’s existing webcomics, FAQs, and service directories, enhancing access to trustworthy SRHR and mental health information while connecting young people directly to youth-friendly pharmacies and healthcare providers. Together, YLabs and Reach are combining behavioural science, digital innovation, and youth-centred design to empower the next generation with the tools and support they need to make informed health decisions starting in Rwanda, with a vision to scale across Africa

‍

UNFPA Nigeria: Expanding Youth Access to SRH

Last year, we announced our partnership with UNFPA Nigeria on the U-Plan initiative — a digital platform built on the successful Young Africa Live model. U-Plan connects young Nigerians to critical information on sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence, and HIV prevention.

With support from UNFPA, we are ensuring that young people can access support safely, confidentially, and directly from their phones, no matter where they live. As UNFPA Nigeria’s Dr. Gifty Addico noted, “Together with Reach, we’re committed to empowering the next generation of Nigerians to build a brighter, healthier future.”

Our CEO, Debbie Rogers, emphasised that, “This is more than a platform — it’s a safe haven where young Nigerians can access contraception advice, HIV/AIDS support, and find a space to speak out and get help when they need it most.”

This partnership is igniting a movement that puts the power of health and well-being back into the hands of young Nigerians, ensuring no one is left behind.

Reach and eHealth Africa Join Forces

In early 2025, we signed an MOU with eHealth Africa (eHA), a strategic collaboration aimed at advancing digital health solutions and improving healthcare access for communities across the continent. Through this partnership, we are joining forces to:

• Strengthen consortium partnerships for public health bids.
• Co-create impactful programmes and drive joint fundraising efforts.
• Develop concept notes and establish proof of concept for innovative health solutions.

Atef Fawaz, Executive Director of eHA, reflected that, “Collaboration is key to scaling impact. Through this partnership with Reach, we are harnessing technology and data-driven insights to strengthen health systems and improve lives across Africa.”

Driving Innovation Together: Global Networks in Action

We remain engaged with global platforms and conveners that strengthen the visibility and strategic alignment of our work worldwide:

Brands on a Mission

In partnership with Dr. Myriam Sidibé and the team at Brands on a Mission, we’re exploring new frontiers in large-scale behaviour change. Their innovative work harnesses the power of purpose-led brands to promote public health and social impact, from menstrual health to gender equity. We were proud to co-host a networking event in 2024 during the SVRI Forum, highlighting the urgency of collective action on SRHR and gender-based violence (GBV).

‍

VillageReach

From our joint Appy Hour event at the Global Digital Health Forum in 2024 to ongoing programmatic collaboration, our partnership with VillageReach is grounded in a common belief that sustainable healthcare starts with human connection and system integration.

‍

WHO and Gavi

‍

As partners in data-driven health, we continue to contribute to initiatives focused on equitable vaccine access, routine immunisation, and the ethical use of AI in health delivery.

‍

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and The Resilience Collaborative

As the original funders of the MomConnect programme, Johnson & Johnson have been core partners with Reach for over 10 years. J&J currently funds our work as part of The Resilience Collaborative, along with The George Institute and Dimagi. Together, we are expanding our WhatsApp-based intervention to support health worker wellbeing and continuous learning worldwide through our WHO HealthAlert chatbots.

‍

What Works 2 Prevent VAWG Programme

The ‘What Works to Prevent Violence — Impact at Scale’ Programme is a seven-year initiative funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to scale-up effective, innovative interventions to Stop Violence before it starts.

As recipients of the What Works 2 Innovation Grant, in partnership with Ipas South Africa and several research consultants, we are adapting our evidence-based chatbot, ChattyCuz, for primary prevention of violence among adolescent women in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province. Ultimately, the project hopes to achieve a measurable reduction in dating violence among adolescent women in a randomized controlled trial setting.

‍

Continuum of care across the health journey with Elephant Healthcare

Last year, Reach and Elephant Healthcare joined forces to deliver a transformative maternal health initiative powered by digital innovation. This partnership brings together Reach’s behaviourally informed messaging platform delivered, via WhatsApp and SMS, with Elephant Healthcare’s electronic health records system (ElephantOS), to offer pregnant women personalised, real-time support throughout their antenatal journey. At the same time, clinicians receive actionable decision support tools that align with WHO-recommended ANC protocols, ensuring no critical steps in care are missed.

With official backing from the Enugu State Ministry of Health, the initiative is designed to boost antenatal care (ANC) attendance, improve early detection of pregnancy-related risks, and ultimately reduce maternal deaths. Mothers receive regular reminders, nutrition guidance, and birth preparation messages, while health workers are equipped to track outcomes and provide holistic care.

This is more than a project — it’s a blueprint for maternal health transformation across Nigeria. Together, we are expanding efforts to 8 states in Nigeria, reaching millions of users. In this model, Reach serves as an extension of the healthcare provided at the facility, supporting referrals, emergency triage, and continuous engagement — especially when travel is difficult or care can be managed from home.

‍

Forging a Path to Enhanced Mental Health Support with Idimma Health

We’re thrilled to announce the recent signing of a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Reach and Idimma Health Initiative, a leading youth-led mental health organisation based in Nigeria. This partnership represents a significant leap forward in harnessing digital innovation and community-driven care to expand much-needed mental health support throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.

Our collaboration will focus on co-creating impactful, youth and gender-informed mental health initiatives, jointly designing scalable models that integrate grassroots counselling with digital engagement, and collaborating on fundraising and strategic partnerships. By leveraging direct-to-citizen tools and mobile platforms, we aim to significantly increase access to timely and personalised mental health support.

This partnership brings together Idimma Health Initiative’s extensive experience in community-based mental health services, including operating one of Africa’s largest national mental health helplines, with Reach’s proven track record in transformative digital health programmes. Together, we are committed to amplifying our collective impact, utilising technology, behavioural science, and community knowledge to improve the well-being of millions.

‍

At our core, we believe that collaboration is key to reimagining the future of healthcare and creating a healthier, more equitable world for all.

Ready to make an impact together? If you’re passionate about digital health and believe in the power of collaboration, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to us to explore partnership opportunities and help shape the future of healthcare: https://www.reachdigitalhealth.org/contact

‍