Rice 360° Institute for Global Health

This grant was awarded in recognition of 100&Change semifinalist status.

Rice University will work with an international team of clinicians, engineers, implementers, evaluators, manufacturers and entrepreneurs to design a package of Newborn Essential Solutions and Technologies (NEST) to address the four major gaps that impede widespread adoption of comprehensive care for newborns in Africa. These gaps include the lack of essential technologies in hospitals, shortage of trained clinicians and technicians, lack of adequate data and finances for health systems managers, and high cost of distribution of technologies. With this award, the team will source and innovate high-quality, effective and affordable technologies, work with government and key stakeholders to scale the bundle of NEST technologies in hospitals, and provide training support to health care systems. Over the course of the grant term, the team’s a market-centered approach is expected to save approximately 35,000 newborn lives.