Product/Service Development

Studies have shown an increased risk of maternal morbidity and mortality in the first week after delivery, and in Uganda, less than 50% of new mothers have access to postpartum care services. Propelling motherhood proposes to implement an innovative collaborative care model to efficiently provide postpartum care in rural Uganda to improve maternal health outcomes. Our experience in Uganda is that many women do not seek postpartum care, largely due to negative perceptions around seeking care outside the home, limited access to care facilities, and lack of knowledge.

Increasing contraceptive uptake is a key strategy in decreasing Zambia’s high maternal mortality rate. In order for Zambia to meet its target of increasing contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) from 33% to 58% by 2020, cost effective and scalable solutions to increasing access to family planning (FP) are required. Due to a resource constrained health system, there are many nurses that are retired, under- and unemployed that wish to continue serving their communities.

Low-cost interventions integrating latrine construction and use, hand washing with soap and household-based treatment of drinking-water and safe storage are targeted to significantly reduce the pathogen load observed in environments with poor WASH conditions and thereby improving maternal, newborn and child health. The aim of the project is to develop a sustainable business model for solar powered kiosks which deliver safe drinking water to low-income consumers.

Spirulina is a nutrient-rich algae providing far more protein per gram than meats or plant sources, all essential amino acids, high iron, and vitamins A, B12, and K. Here, it is sold as a high-end nutritional supplement. We aim to bring Spirulina's nutritional benefits inexpensively to children in the Philippines, who need what it provides: nearly half of Filipino households fail to reach desired daily protein consumption levels, and 35% of children under 5 suffer from anemia.

In the last ten years, various institutions across Pakistan, including the government, have attempted to introduce solar cookstoves to off-grid communities, but failed. Studying past failures, and after conducting a pilot study specifically to test clean cookstoves in Bedian - an off-grid village 20 kilometers southwest of Lahore - we have gained a deep understanding of the problems associated with promoting clean cookstoves in Pakistan. Developing the right product is one of several other fundamental pre-requisites to success.

The project is designed to address the problem of chronic under nutrition by delivering sustainable and scalable cross-sectoral solutions to transform the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable communities in Banswara, South Rajasthan. One key aspect of the project involves exploring new ways to promote coordination between multi sectoral aspects i.e. agriculture, nutrition, women empowerment, enterprise development and community development.

Improving contraceptive demand and use is a top priority identified in Pakistan’s national health plan. There are socioeconomic inequities in family planning coverage in Pakistan (1). Lack of interventions for the urban poor is a global research gap (2).

The top most recommendation by the panel of experts at the Copenhagen Consensus 2012 was "micronutrient intervention" to have the most leverage to make an impact under budget restrained conditions. Almost 2 billion people around the world suffer from iron deficiency (ID), or its more severe form iron deficiency anemia (IDA). ID affects the health and productivity of all, the most vulnerable being young children, adolescent girls and young women in the childbearing age.

Discarded menstrual hygiene products contribute to hundreds of thousands of tons of waste each year. In Bangladesh, where waste management systems are lacking, disposable pads clog latrines and canals. Reusable menstrual cloths are more environmentally friendly and affordable. However, stigma prevents girls and women from washing and drying reusable cloths hygienically in open view. The use of insufficiently clean and dry cloths may contribute to reproductive and urinary tract infections.

The bold idea (www.statscongo.com) is the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) first collaborative healthcare database of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH). The aim is to turn big clinical data for MNCH, into big insights. By assessing variations of patterns of accessing health services, treatments, and patient management and treatment outcomes. While disseminating clinical findings through a web-based data visualization.