Mama Care Africa (MCA), in partnership with UCLA and Africa University, is launching an innovative maternal health initiative in Zimbabwe in March 2026. Our team of doctors and nurses will introduce augmented reality (AR) smart glasses to rural hospitals to support the management of obstetric emergencies, particularly postpartum hemorrhage (PPH)—the leading cause of maternal death. Using Vuzix AR smart glasses, frontline providers in remote facilities will connect in real time with obstetric specialists for live mentorship and decision-making during high-risk deliveries. This technology overcomes barriers of distance, workforce shortages, and limited training opportunities by enabling rural clinicians to “see through the eyes” of mentors during emergencies. Alongside AR deployment, MCA will conduct intensive provider training, distribute emergency PPH kits, and run community education campaigns. This grant will specifically support air travel for the U.S.-based medical team delivering and training on the technology in Zimbabwe, ensuring a successful rollout and capacity-building effort that strengthens the local health system for long-term sustainability.
This project serves mothers, newborns, and healthcare workers in rural Zimbabwe, with an initial focus on Manicaland and Mashonaland Central provinces—regions with some of the country’s highest maternal mortality rates (651 deaths per 100,000 live births). Primary beneficiaries include pregnant women (ages 15–49), especially adolescents and low-income mothers who face barriers to skilled care. Indirectly, newborns benefit from improved outcomes when mothers survive childbirth. Frontline clinicians—including nurses, midwives, and district-level physicians—are also a key beneficiary group, gaining access to training, mentorship, and lifesaving tools otherwise unavailable in their facilities. Over 3 million people live in the targeted provinces, with more than 70% of women residing over 10 km from the nearest health facility. By equipping local providers with AR-supported mentorship and emergency kits, MCA ensures that even the most remote communities have access to timely, high-quality maternal care.
The introduction of AR smart glasses in Zimbabwe will transform maternal care delivery by bridging the gap between rural clinicians and obstetric specialists. Within the first year, we expect: (1) a 15% reduction in PPH-related maternal deaths in participating hospitals, (2) training of 200+ healthcare providers in AR-assisted emergency response and PPH management, and (3) distribution of PPH kits to at least 20 health facilities. Community education will reach over 10,000 women, improving recognition of danger signs and timely care-seeking. Clinicians will gain confidence and skills, reducing professional isolation and strengthening rural health systems. Beyond immediate outcomes, this pilot establishes a scalable model of digital mentorship that can be replicated across Zimbabwe and other low-resource settings globally. Ultimately, this project will save mothers’ lives, protect newborns, and prove that innovative, cost-effective technologies can accelerate progress toward ending preventable maternal deaths.
The team consisted of members of an NGO called Mama Care Africa whose mission is to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality in Zimbabwe in partnership with UCLA OBGYN physicians and student volunteers. We worked on the ground with faculty from the University of Zimbabwe and local OBGYN physicians to lay the ground work for remote mentorship and OBGYN emergency training. Using a train the trainer mode, we did a pilot project using Vuzix augmented reality glasses to provide remote guidance through obstetric emergency simulation. OBGYN specialists from a provincial hospital (referral center) were able to help on the ground government medical officers (general physicians in their first year after training posted in remote district hospitals) who were wearing the glasses. The pilot demonstrated feasibility for this technology to be used to show the specialists physicians what the general doctors were looking at and give them detailed guidance on managing an emergency from afar. The goal of this is to lay the ground work for further testing and expansion in the hopes that technology can be used to facilitate easier specialist access, more detailed feedback with point-of-view visualization, and guidance on management in house vs transfer to higher level of care. The goal is to help patients in rural areas without access to specialty care deliver babies safely and help rural physicians get easier specialist access, guidance, and mentorship. The goal of this project is to find a way to use technology to bridge gaps in care and system/infrastructure barriers.
