Preparedness of Graduate Midwives towards the Utilization of Digital Health Interventions in Maternal and Neonatal Care: A scoping review

Preparedness of midwifery graduates towards the utilization of digital health interventions in maternal and neonatal care is examined in Africa. The surge of digital technologies in healthcare, including mobile health (mHealth), telemedicine, electronic health records, and decision-support systems, offers opportunities to improve the quality of maternal and neonatal health services. The implementation of these technologies depends largely on the competencies of healthcare professionals. The project will employ a mixed systematic review designed to synthesise available data on digital health education in midwifery training programs in Africa. The review will assess how midwifery curricula incorporate digital health competencies relevant to maternal and neonatal care, identify the key digital health skills emphasized during training, and examine the barriers and enabling factors affecting the integration of digital health content into educational programs. The review follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and is informed by the methodological framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley for evidence synthesis. The outcomes of this project include a comprehensive understanding of the current state of digital health education in African midwifery programs, identification of gaps in curricular preparedness, and recommend measorues to strengthen midwifery education and support digital health implementation in maternal and neonatal healthcare. Finally the findings aim to inform stakeholders about strategies for improving the digital readiness of the midwifery workforce and supporting the broader digital transformation of healthcare systems across Africa. This work contributes to ongoing global efforts to enhance maternal and neonatal health outcomes through evidence-based education and digital innovation.