Product/Service Development

Our plan is to scale up a proven e-voucher program covering the costs of maternity care and SMS reminders in order to reduce financial and informational barriers to care and to dramatically increase skilled facility-based deliveries. Specifically, we plan to (1) double the rates of institutional and skilled deliveries; (2) increase the rates of antenatal and postnatal care, particularly the number of women who receive four or more antenatal visits; (3) improve the quality of care delivered by incentivizing CHWs; and integrate our vouchers with a Government health financing plan.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a disease without targeted treatments. We propose a simple strategy to solve this problem: we will establish a cell-based assay to screen clinically-available, mostly generic and inexpensive, drugs that may have a therapeutic effect on PE. To do this, we will utilize new scientific knowledge, showing that anti-angiogenic factors released from the placenta trigger maternal vascular injury essential for the development of PE.

Tampostat is a self-regulating, low cost, emergency obstetric device designed specifically for use in low-resource settings by greatly increasing safety, efficacy, and ease-of-use over existing condom tamponades. While other condom tamponades take a volume-based approach, which may not account for varying uterus sizes, Tampostat is pressure-based and uses air to eliminate the need for saline. It features a safety valve to prevent over-inflation through auditory feedback and allows for periodic uterine contractions by constantly regulating the pressure.

The overarching focus of PharmAccess is on improving access to affordable and quality maternal and child health care for low-income families in Nigeria. The essence of PharmAccess comprises an integrated approach of complementary initiatives that increase resources, efficiency and effectiveness within the healthcare system. Through quality improvement, loans for healthcare providers, and health insurance, the demand for and supply of care is stimulated.

D-tree International has developed and field-tested an integrated phone-based tool that supports screening and counseling of pregnant women using clinical algorithms, facilitates transportation to a health facility during labor using mobile banking and data storage, and supports the CHW to provide follow-up care to mothers and their infants using clinical algorithms.

we have developed a heat-stable oxytocin fast-dissolving tablet (FDT) for sublingual administration. Under this project, we propose to test the effectiveness of this simple, needle-free approach to prevention of PPH by conducting a human pharmacokinetic study in South Africa.

Using existing information, and gathering vital new information when necessary, we will develop and validate an integrated panel of maternal, fetal and newborn risk stratification tools that incorporate pulse oximetry to supplement the PIERS on the Move (POM) platform, converting the P of PIERS from pre-eclampsia to pregnancy and pediatric. Integrating these models within the PIERS on the Move (POM) app will prepare the way to implement an integrated platform to guide care in women and newborn homes.

Sisu Global Health (previously, DIIME and CentriCycle) is creating a new standard of care for autologous blood transfusion. The Hemafuse is handheld, electricity-independent, locally-affordable tool designed be a safer, faster replacement. The device is syringe-like to manually suction and filter the blood for transfusion in a sterile, closed environment; decreasing risk of clots and of infection and promises to decrease the mortality of women.

The INSPIRE, a simple, sustainable technology, helps Community Health Workers (CHWs) quickly and accurately identify rapid respirations (by automating counting) and abnormal temperatures in neonates and supports timely management and treatment. The methods currently used to monitor respiratory rate rely on an individual observing the infant's chest movements and counting. Major errors in counting have been documented using this method. The INSPIRE accurately measures an infant's respiratory rate automatically and indicates whether the rate recorded is abnormal.

Our idea is to develop BreathAlert, a $25 battery-powered monitor that detects and automatically corrects apnea. BreathAlert is a stretchy band placed around a baby's chest to detect if breathing has stopped; if apnea occurs, coin-sized vibrating motors in the strap are activated and the vibration automatically stimulates the baby to resume breathing.