Helium Health gets Google.org AI grant

Nigeria has one of the world's highest maternal mortality rates, making better access to pregnancy care and early identification of health risks a major concern. For many women, complications during pregnancy can become dangerous when they are not detected early or when appropriate care is difficult to access.

It is against this background that Nigerian health-tech company Helium Health has received a $2.5 million grant from Google.org to support the use of artificial intelligence in maternal healthcare.

The funding will support HeliumMum, Helium Health's maternal-health initiative, in Lagos, Delta, Kano and Oyo states. Lagos will serve as the initial launchpad for the project.

The idea is fairly straightforward: use technology to help identify pregnancy risks earlier and connect women with the care they need. The programme will also give healthcare workers access to electronic medical records and AI-powered tools that can support clinical decision-making.

That matters because technology is only useful in healthcare when it helps doctors, nurses and patients make better decisions at the right time.

What the $2.5 million will support

The grant is part of Google.org's $30 million Impact Challenge: AI for Government Innovation. Helium Health Foundation was selected as one of 15 organisations from more than 2,600 proposals submitted globally.

The programme is not simply about providing money. The selected organisations will also receive technical support through a Google.org Accelerator, including assistance from Google engineers and AI experts.

For Helium Health, the funding is expected to help expand HeliumMum and its use of AI in maternal healthcare.

The company says it aims to reach an additional 1.9 million women over three years and contribute to a 30% reduction in maternal mortality. These are programme targets, rather than results that have already been achieved.

The maternal-care problem

Maternal deaths remain a serious problem in Nigeria. The World Health Organization estimated Nigeria's maternal mortality ratio at 993 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023.

There are many reasons behind maternal deaths, but delays in recognising complications and accessing appropriate healthcare can make dangerous situations worse.

This is where HeliumMum's approach is intended to make a difference. By using AI to help identify potential risks and provide health workers with relevant information, the project hopes to make it easier to intervene before complications become life-threatening.

The success of the project, however, will depend on what happens beyond the technology. Healthcare workers will need to be able to use the tools effectively, and women will still need access to functioning health facilities and appropriate treatment.

Why the grant matters for African health tech

The funding is significant beyond Helium Health itself. It shows that technology developed and deployed from Nigeria can attract major international support for solving a local healthcare problem.

The project also brings together a Nigerian health-tech company, Google.org and state governments around a specific public-health challenge.

That makes the initiative worth watching. If the technology can be implemented effectively and produce measurable improvements, it could provide useful lessons for other African countries facing similar maternal-health challenges.

For now, the $2.5 million grant is best viewed as an opportunity rather than a guaranteed solution. The real measure of its success will be whether the investment eventually helps more women receive timely, effective maternal care.