Product/Service Development

Inuka Hero is a digital chat based coaching product which aims to connect people living with common mental disorders ("CMD"s) in low resource settings to trained coaches (Heroes) who provide support via a mobile interface (e.g. tablet, smartphone). The support provided by the Heroes is based on the Friendship Bench intervention developed by Dixon Chibanda and team at the University of Zimbabwe through funding from Grand Challenges Canada.

Iron deficiency anaemia during pregnancy is a known risk factor for preterm birth, low birthweight and small-for-gestational age babies, and increases the risk of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) which is the leading cause of maternal mortality in India. Distribution of iron tablet to the target beneficiaries has low adherence rate that we aim to overcome. Socio-economic conditions, pilferages, non-compliance & non-availability of interventions have hindered global efforts to tackle anaemia.

In Kenya the 4th ANC access and skilled delivery stands at 58% and 61% respectively while Narok County is at 46% and 38.6% (KDHs 2014). Narok County also has the highest number of teenage pregnancy at 40% while nationally it is 18%. The girls give birth at home via the Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) and not accessing skilled delivery ANC services due to stigma and ignorance concerning RMNCH services. These contribute to the high maternal morbidity and mortality, neonatal deaths in Kenya

In Mozambique, poor maternal and child health, high rates of child marriage, vulnerability to HIV and lack of gender equity for girls are all exacerbated by lack of health knowledge and access to and utilization of Family Planning methods among young women. For Hair and More overcomes the systemic gaps in an unsustainable health education and supplies distribution model as well as the cultural barriers that inhibit girls and young women from adopting life-saving behaviors.

High maternal mortality rates (MMR) persist in Indonesia, especially in rural areas. In Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) MMR is 271/100,000 live births (2010), higher than national average of 220/100,000. Antenatal Care (ANC) is provided at primary health centers (Puskesmas) by midwives who are not equipped with diagnostic tools, e.g. haemoglobin (Hb) testing is only available at major hospitals. Long distances, costs, poor quality equipment, and lack of awareness hinder pregnant women’s access to ANC

As perinatal and neonatal care are advancing, more preterm babies are surviving and being discharged from neonatal intensive care units (NICU) to be cared for by parents. Due to complicated health problems, premature babies require extended and special follow up care after discharge. However, follow up care for such high-risk babies is not available in most LMICs. Innovative solutions are urgently needed to ensure the optimal care and best outcomes for preterm survivors in these countries.

7.5% children under age 5 develop severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in urban India (1). SAM reduces chances of survival [mortality rate: 73-187 per 1000 (2)], hinders optimal physical growth and is associated with sub optimal brain development leading to long lasting negative impact on cognitive ability, school performance and future earnings. Lack of access to crucial lifesaving information for caregivers during acute inpatient treatment and later during rehabilitation at home leads to relapse.

Bangladesh has about 5,400 garment factories with 4 million workers and up to 16 million livelihoods dependent on it directly or indirectly. 70% of these workers are reproductive-age women, who have almost no access to healthcare. They work 6 days a week for long hours. Many factories are located in the urban areas, which further complicates the situation of these disadvantaged people as there is no effective urban healthcare system for the underserved people in the urban areas in Bangladesh.

Young people in Senegal experience greater complications from pregnancy and unsafe abortion, and also account for a disproportionate number of sexually transmitted infections. A major reason for this is that young people face many obstacles in accessing the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and services that they need to stay healthy, including stigma, provider discrimination, lack of confidentiality, and other barriers.