 Introduction
 Project MChild aims to address the critical issue of low hepatitis B vaccination uptake among
 newborns in underserved communities in Oyo state, Nigeria. Leveraging existing infrastructure
 such as local maternity homes and clinics, the project focuses on increasing vaccination rates by
 providing education and training to traditional birth attendants, their apprentices and mothers.

 Problem statement
 Hepatitis B virus is the primary cause of liver cancer and second leading cause of cancer death
 globally. According to WHO (2019), Nigeria has one of the highest prevalence rates of chronic
 Hepatitis B infection globally with an estimated 20-25% of the population affected. Mother- to
child transmission contributes to a substantial number of liver cancer deaths, highlighting the
 importance of prevention through vaccination. Vaccination coverage remains low in Nigeria due
 to various barriers such as lack of awareness, access to vaccine and vaccine apathy.

 Project Mchild Approach
 ● Bythepeople: The project's innovative approach involves collaborating with trusted
 traditional birth attendants in underserved communities to ensure timely vaccination of
 newborns within 24- hours of birth.
 ● Forthepeople: Community engagement is central to the project's strategy, empowering
 local stakeholders such as Traditional birth attendants, their apprentices, and volunteers to
 advocate for vaccination and provide accurate information within their communities.
 Incentives such as honor badges and certification of recognition further motivate
 participation and ensure sustainability.
 ● ThePeople’s Favorite: Project Mchild integrates technology such as an AI chatbot
 called “AYANFE” your favorite health assistant, in popular messaging platforms such
 as Facebook messenger and WhatsApp for information dissemination and user support in
 the local dialect of the people in the community.

 Key action points include:
 1. Partnering with 10 local maternity homes and clinics in Ona-Ara local government area in
 Oyo state to provide training on the importance of hepatitis B vaccination.
 2. Integrating chatbot AI “AYANFE” for information dissemination and user support in local
 dialect using speech-to-text automation to promote heritage.
 3. Empowering local stakeholders through education and incentives.
 4. Monitoring and evaluation to track vaccination uptake and impact.

 Impact
 Project MChild's offers a scalable and sustainable solution to vaccination inaccessibility while
 empowering communities to take ownership of their health outcomes. By increasing vaccination
 rates by not less than 50% monthly in maternity homes, the project contributes to better health
 outcomes for newborns and reduces the burden of hepatitis B-related diseases in Nigeria. Women
 and babies regardless of socioeconomic status, disabilities (blindness and deafness) will be able
 to benefit from project Mchild intervention. In doing so, we ultimately contribute to better health
 outcomes and a healthier future for Nigerian communities.