Maternal, Newborn, and Adolescent Health

Respiratory distress syndrome (hyaline membrane disease or RDS) is the leading cause of premature infant mortality. It is a breathing disorder of premature newborns in which the air sacs (alveoli) in the baby’s lungs do not remain open. The disease occurs in infants born under 37 weeks, and 15M premature babies are born each year with 8% expected to develop RDS. Babies with RDS have a nearly 100% mortality rate if left untreated. Effective respiratory support can improve a neonate's survival rate by 70%. In well-equipped hospitals, infants receive adequate respiratory support.

SID has created Thrive-Generations (THRIVE-GEN), an adaptation of the Open Smart Register Platform (OpenSRP) for the Indonesian context. THRIVE-GEN is an integrated Digital Health Platform that enables front-line health workers (FHWs) providing antenatal (ANC) postnatal care (PNC), vaccination, nutrition, and family services, to collect and share health data in real time. The Digital Health Platform is complemented by a public parenting app and early childhood development tool.

Neopenda is innovating needs-based medical technologies for emerging markets. The first product, neoGuard, is a 4-in-1 wearable neonatal vital signs monitor designed for resource-constrained health facilities. The affordable system enables more responsive and appropriate care for critically ill newborns, and ultimately helps reduce preventable newborn mortality. Initially launching in Uganda, Neopenda is looking to scale in other geographies where advancing newborn health is needed. They plan to evaluate the product and business feasibility in Kenya, Ghana, and Tanzania.

Poor quality is the biggest barrier to reducing mortality and achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), particularly in relation to maternal and child health. Nearly all causes of poor MNCH health outcomes are preventable and/or treatable, so long as adequate skilled, quality care is provided.

Early detection and treatment of asymptomatic urinary tract infection (UTI), a major risk factor for pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes, that are leading causes of maternal mortality, remains a gap in informal settlements and rural areas where maternal mortality is elevated. Our technology-enabled rapid-diagnostic outpatient facilities, called Hubs, enhance early detection UTI in 3 rural communities and one informal settlement in Kenya. The hubs currently serve the elderly with non-communicable disease and 15 target common outpatient conditions and need more volume to breakeven.

Preeclampsia is a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. The risk of death is ~300-fold higher in LMIC where the disease is less likely recognized early enough for transfer to facilities adequately equipped for treatment. The recurring barrier has been the lack of preeclampsia-specific diagnostic tests practically suitable for LMIC. Our proposal is for in scale-up and in country implementation of the Congo Red Test, a novel diagnostic test for preeclampsia based on urine congophilia.

Nivi’s vision is to be the most trusted source of information about women’s health. Launched in 2016, Nivi’s core product is the first digital contraceptive screening and referral service in East Africa. Anyone with a basic mobile phone can complete a free screening, receive personalized recommendations for contraceptive methods, referrals to nearby healthcare providers, and provide feedback on their experience with providers and methods.

Poor access to quality and affordable menstrual products, unsanitary school environment and inadequate information on puberty affects girls menstrual health and access to education right.

In India, young rural women face socio-economic, systemic barriers, impeding access to basic sexual and reproductive health services. Sub-optimal healthcare leads to poor management of menstruation irregularities, unplanned pregnancies, untreated common infections, with serious reproductive sequelae. Quality primary health interventions are non-existent; a personalized, accessible, data-driven, women centric strategy for sexual and reproductive wellness and clinical care is urgently needed.