Product/Service Development

There are over 3 million annual neonatal deaths. Our study uses community health workers to bring low tech but high impact interventions directly into remote rural homes in Pakistan to reduce neonatal deaths. This kit could save newborn lives in any low resource and remote setting.

Every year, approximately 2.6 million stillbirths (SB) occur and 20 million low birth-weight (LBW) babies are born worldwide. The vast majority of these cases occur in low- and middle-income countries. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest rate of SB globally and has made the least progress in reducing this number. Similarly, this region has some of the highest rates of LBW in the world. Recently, several studies have identified sleeping on the back during pregnancy as a potential risk factor for having SB or LBW baby.

Globally 60% of pregnant women are at risk of malaria infection in pregnancy, placing the lives of both the mother and fetus at risk. Our project aims to improve fetal growth through dietary supplementation of L-arginine, an amino acid essential for placental development that is reduced in malaria. Follow Andrea Conroy on Twitter @AndreaLConroy"

Low levels of the vitamin thiamin (B1) in the diet of breastfeeding mothers in Southeast Asia results in widespread beriberi disease in their infants, causing heart failure and thousands of child deaths.  In Cambodia alone, the problem kills about 700 children per year.  The project will introduce fortified fish sauce to mothers’ diets, a simple, cost-effective and sustainable way to raise maternal blood and breast milk thiamin levels, helping to lower the rate of infantile beriberi.

AYZH aims to be the leading global provider of life saving and changing solutions for women. With our for-profit approach and ""for women by women"philosophy, we identify women's needs, then design, deliver, and scale affordable technologies like JANMA birth kit to meet those needs, increase income, and improve health. Follow Ayzh on Twitter @AyzhInc"

Community health programs could be the most important global health intervention, and many such programs are using mobile technology (mHealth) to improve health services access and quality. Adopting mHealth can be challenging and costly for programs in developing countries. Having experience with over 300 mobile technology projects around the world, Dimagi aims to sustainably scale health programs using open-source mobile technology in West Africa.

Access Afya is implementing a Healthy Schools program in schools in a slum in Nairobi, Kenya. The program aims to improve health of children and teachers. The Healthy Schools program will create a new model for improved health outcomes, using schools as a space to provide clean water, sanitation, nutrition and primary health care. The Healthy Schools program aims to create a sustainable model for engaging schools in health and wellness. The Healthy Schools team will learn about environmental and other factors that contribute to health status for children in slums.

Our project aims at working with 1500 households of pregnant women to save towards delivery and child care in the first six months after birth. Savings of a minimum of $0.50/day will enable the pregnant woman and her husband to acquire essential items needed by the mother and child at delivery including the mama kit, transport to a health centre for delivery, and access to medical treatment during pregnancy and after delivery.

A low-cost “safe motherhood insurance program” being started in the Philippines to overcome financial barriers that often delay poor women from getting appropriate care in labour. Working with insurance companies, the project represents a novel potential business model to further reduce the rate of maternal mortality worldwide.  For more information visit www.pbsp.org.ph"

In lesser developed countries, agriculture and water are key elements of emerging infectious diseases. In Vietnam, improved management and low cost water test kits will help farmers reduce the risk of diseases of animal origin. Follow David Hall on Twitter @DavidHallUCVM"