RapidPro Liberia-Powered mHero: Reinforcing Liberia’s Health Worker Communications

Liberia’s health officials have long struggled to keep thousands of frontline staff informed, especially during emergencies. For example, at the start of the 2014 Ebola crisis, the Liberian government had no way to reach its 11,000+ health workers with urgent updates. Delayed or missing messages resulted in slower responses and increased infections.

The RapidPro Liberia initiative closed that gap: in partnership with UNICEF and IntraHealth, Liberia launched mHero, an SMS-based system built on UNICEF’s open-source RapidPro platform. By linking RapidPro to the Ministry’s iHRIS workforce registry, mHero enabled instant, two-way SMS messaging on even basic mobile phones. Today, mHero, powered by RapidPro continues to keep Liberia’s health workforce connected – from routine alerts to COVID-19 coordination, and NGOs and governments can deploy the same solution via the RapidPro app’s secure hosting and integration services.

RapidPro Liberia in the Ebola Response

When Ebola erupted in 2014, Liberia’s Ministry of Health urgently needed a direct line to its remote clinics and health workers. RapidPro Liberia and mHero answered the call. Built in just weeks, mHero fused UNICEF’s RapidPro SMS engine with Liberia’s iHRIS database. This two-way system instantly connected central officials and on-the-ground staff. For example, mHero was used to:

• Validate and update personnel records: ensuring the contact list is current.
• Assess health facilities: collecting updates on bed capacity, staffing, and equipment levels.
• Monitor supplies and cases: reporting shortages of PPE, tracking new Ebola cases, and transmitting lab results.
• Provide guidance and training: pushing out safety protocols, FAQs, and mini-quizzes to refresh knowledge.

Each SMS flow was targeted using iHRIS data, so officials could send a message to exactly the right cadre or region. In practical terms, the system instantly delivered critical bulletins to nurses and community health workers in far-flung areas, and let those workers report back in real time. The payoff was clear: mHero’s RapidPro foundation protected lives and kept clinics updated during the peak of the crisis. By early 2018, over 17,000 Liberian health workers had been reached via mHero’s SMS network, demonstrating the system’s reach and adoption.

RapidPro Liberia: From Crisis to Routine Communications

After Ebola waned, Liberia didn’t abandon its new messaging tool. In fact, by late 2015, the Ministry officially integrated mHero into its national health information strategy. USAID and UNICEF invested further to ensure mHero became “an integral part” of Liberia’s health system. Today, mHero continues to power both emergency alerts and day-to-day coordination. For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the platform was used to train health workers on infection control, poll facilities for stock levels, and report suspected cases via SMS. In practice, mHero (RapidPro Liberia) lets authorities send routine bulletins and urgent warnings alike, segment messages by role or district, and even quiz staff on new guidelines.

Interoperability is a key feature. Liberia’s mHero was built on OpenHIE standards, which means it can plug into other health systems. The new FHIR-based version of mHero now syncs with electronic health records and analytics tools. This lets data collected via RapidPro (e.g., SMS forms on cases or vaccinations) flow automatically into national databases. In short, RapidPro Liberia’s mHero has evolved from a one-off crisis tool into a sustained communication backbone. In the words of Liberia’s health planners, it is now the “go-to resource” for routine updates and emergency coordination.

Key Benefits of RapidPro Liberia for NGOs and Governments

RapidPro is a proven technology for health communication in low-resource settings. It is free and open-source, supports multiple channels (SMS, voice, apps), and requires no special hardware. Importantly, it works on any mobile phone (even basic feature phones), reaching areas with no internet. Agencies value RapidPro for:

• Broad reach on basic phones: Most health workers can be reached without smartphones or data plans.
• Real-time, two-way SMS: Ministries can broadcast alerts instantly, and health staff can report needs or case data back immediately.
• Targeted messaging: Using existing registries, messages can be aimed at district, facility type, or worker cadre.
• Data collection: RapidPro surveys feed directly into dashboards, enabling live monitoring of outbreaks, stock levels, and training results.
• Proven scale: Liberia’s mHero reached ~10,000 workers continuously, and rapid rollouts in Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Gambia show it scales to the national level.

For organizations that need to implement RapidPro, RapidPro App offers managed hosting and integration. We handle the technical setup, regular updates, security, and connectivity so NGOs and governments can focus on content. RapidPro app’s services include:

• Turnkey hosting: We deploy RapidPro on our secure cloud or your servers, with 24/7 support, automated backups, and maintenance.
• Flexible deployment: Choose high-performance cloud hosting or an on-premise installation to meet local policies.
• Expert integration: Robust APIs, pre-built connectors, and custom development ensure RapidPro syncs with your CRM, ERP, DHIS2, or other health databases.
• Enterprise security: Our platform uses end-to-end encryption and complies with international standards (GDPR, etc.)

In practice, RapidPro.app has enabled projects like RapidPro Sierra Leone, where health workers report drug stock via SMS, and RapidPro Gambia, which powered COVID-19 surveys and alerts. These success stories underscore how SMS-driven data saves lives. With RapidPro.app’s managed service, any country or NGO can launch a similar RapidPro mHealth network quickly and reliably.

Ready to modernize health communications? Contact RapidPro App Hosting to deploy a secure, scalable RapidPro system. Our experts will help you set up RapidPro (cloud or on-prem), integrate with your data, and train your team, all within hours, not months. Transform your health outreach and workforce engagement with RapidPro Liberia’s proven approach.

FAQ

What is RapidPro Liberia, and how is it used?

RapidPro Liberia refers to the deployment of UNICEF’s RapidPro platform in Liberia, primarily through the mHero system. It is a free, open-source SMS/mobile communication tool that lets the Ministry of Health send targeted text and voice messages to health workers and receive reports back. In practice, it plugs into Liberia’s health workforce registry (iHRIS) so messages go to the right clinics and cadres, enabling mass alerts and data collection without new hardware.

How did mHero use RapidPro during the Ebola outbreak?

During the 2014–2015 Ebola emergency, Liberia’s mHero combined RapidPro with iHRIS to reach workers in every district. Health officials used it to broadcast new treatment protocols, safety guidelines, and status checks, while workers reported suspected cases, bed availability, and supply needs back via SMS. This two-way channel ensured that up-to-date guidance and case data flowed instantly between the Ministry and front lines.

How is the mHero system used in Liberia today?

Post-Ebola, Liberia’s mHero has become an integral part of routine operations and emergency response. The Ministry sends weekly or urgent updates on things like immunization schedules, disease alerts, training schedules, or COVID-19 protocols. In turn, health facilities use it to report stock levels, vaccination counts, or case follow-ups. By 2018, mHero had contacted over 17,000 workers. The system also now aligns with modern digital standards (FHIR), so its data integrates into Liberia’s health information systems for policymaking.

Why should NGOs and governments choose RapidPro.app?

RapidPro.app specializes in RapidPro hosting and integration. Unlike DIY deployments, we provide a fully managed service: setting up RapidPro in secure servers, connecting it to your databases, and delivering 24/7 support. This means NGOs and governments avoid downtime or technical hurdles. Our platform is used by UNICEF and agencies worldwide, and clients benefit from enterprise security, compliance, and rapid deployment (often under 24 hours). In short, partnering with RapidPro.app lets your team focus on health impact rather than backend IT.

Can RapidPro be used beyond emergency alerts?

Absolutely. While mHero started for Ebola, the RapidPro platform is versatile for many health communications. It can broadcast public health campaigns, conduct phone-based surveys, send vaccination reminders, or even support mental health check-ins. The same SMS tools have been used for maternal health outreach, routine immunization tracking, and outbreak surveillance. RapidPro App can help tailor any of these use cases, in Liberia or elsewhere, by providing the hosting and expertise needed to operate at scale.