Text Message Reminders to Improve the Timeliness of Birth Dose Vaccine Administration Among Newborns in an Urban Informal Settlement in Kenya

Abstract

This pilot trial in Kenya's Viwandani informal settlement tested whether text message reminders improved timely administration of birth dose vaccines (OPV 0 and BCG) to newborns. Using a stepped-wedge design, pregnant women were randomized to receive reminders or routine care. Results showed higher vaccine timeliness during the intervention period (92,93%) vs. control (78,81%), with borderline statistical significance (aRR 1.14,1.19). The study suggests SMS reminders could be a useful tool to boost vaccine uptake in low-resource urban settings.