Waterless Hand Cleansing with Chlorhexidine: A Novel Approach to Prevent Neonatal Deaths

In a rigorous cluster randomized controlled trial, we propose to evaluate the impact of promoting waterless hand cleansing with chlorhexidine on hand cleansing behavior of mothers, birth attendants, and others during the peripartum and neonatal periods. To inform future scaling up, we will assess the acceptability, barriers and motivators to chlorhexidine for hand cleansing. An evidence-based chlorhexidine hand cleansing intervention represents a robust low-technology solution to address the unconscionably high rates of preventable neonatal mortality worldwide.