Formerly Nurses on Bikes
Skilled maternal and newborn care, delivered closer to home
Midwives on Wheels are qualified midwifery professionals who deliver skilled maternal and newborn health care beyond facility walls, as a core component of Wandikweza’s Proactive Doorstep Care model. They extend the reach of the public health system into hard-to-reach communities, ensuring women and newborns receive timely, high-quality care when cost, distance or lack of awareness would otherwise place lives at risk.
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Their role is not to replace facility-based services, but to bridge the gap between households and health facilities, supporting early detection of complications, effective referrals and follow-up care.
Why Midwives on Wheels
In many rural areas, skilled care is available, but too far away. MoWs close this gap by bringing midwifery expertise closer to families, especially for mothers at higher risk.
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Because of MoWs:
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High-risk pregnancies are identified earlier
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Mothers receive skilled antenatal and postnatal care at the doorstep.
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Complications are detected before they become emergencies
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Facility deliveries are better prepared and safe
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MoWs turn geography from a barrier into a bridge.
What MoWs Do
MoWs provide skilled care at the community level, including:
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Antenatal and postnatal assessments
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High-risk pregnancy follow-up
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Newborn health checks
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Birth preparedness counselling
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Screening for complications
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Referral for skilled facility delivery
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Follow-up after delivery
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They work hand-in-hand with CHWs, responding to referrals and supporting families when professional care is needed.
How MoWs Fit Into the PDC Ecosystem
MoWs sit at the critical middle layer of the PDC ecosystem:
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CHWs → MoWs → Mobile Clinics → Health Facilities
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CHWs identify needs early.
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MoWs deliver skilled care closer to home.
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Facilities handle complex and emergency cases.
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Care then returns to the household for follow-up.
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This creates a continuous, integrated pathway of care.
Training, Support & Accountability
MoWs are government-trained midwives supported by Wandikweza through:
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Transport and field support
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Structured deployment and scheduling
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Clinical supervision and coordination
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Referral tracking and follow-up systems
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This ensures MoWs deliver high-quality, accountable care aligned with national standards.
The Impact
MoWs ensure mothers are not waiting until labor or crisis to meet a skilled provider.
They are often the difference between early action and late intervention.
