On September 5th, 2024, Medical Doctors For Choice (MDFC) hosted an interactive session at their office. The session brought together a group of young female graduates to introduce them to the AASAP Finder platform and its new chatbot, which facilitates access to safe abortion services. The session aimed to gather feedback from the participants, most of whom work in healthcare facilities, on the accessibility, user experience, and functionality of the chatbot.
The session began with a discussion, led by Mr Richard, about the challenges participants face when providing safe abortion services at their healthcare facilities. Many participants noted that some of their facilities are not authorized to provide these services, leading to the referral of patients to eligible facilities. They shared the social and logistical barriers that many women encounter when seeking safe abortion services.
The graduates were then guided through the AASAP Finder New Chartbot, where they explored the chatbot’s capabilities. Their feedback highlighted both its strengths and areas needing improvement:
The chatbot was praised for its ability to directly connect users to healthcare providers, ensure confidentiality, and offer a multilingual experience. However, participants raised accessibility concerns, noting that women without smartphones cannot access the platform. They also pointed out the need for follow-up mechanisms after users are connected to providers.
Key recommendations from the session included implementing a USSD code system for non-smartphone users, expanding language options, incorporating follow-up features, optimizing the chatbot’s performance, and providing more concise responses to enhance the overall user experience.
This interactive session provided valuable insights into the platform’s functionality and demonstrated the importance of gathering user feedback to refine digital health tools. With these recommendations, the AASAP Finder chatbot can become a more accessible and effective resource, further empowering women to access safe abortion services.
