Raebareli District in Uttar Pradesh, India has an estimated infant mortality rate of 61 deaths per 1,000 live births. This is much higher than the national average of 47 deaths per 1,000 live births, and the state of Uttar Pradesh as a whole accounts for close to a quarter of all infant deaths in the country. Reports show that around 64% of these deaths are in neonates up to four weeks of age, indicating a need for increased neonatal health intervention immediately following childbirth.
Our Director of Programs, Jenafir House, along with our India Program Director, Pompa Debroy, and India Program Coordinator, Priyanka Choubey, visited several clinical facilities throughout the Raebareli District in early March. After an initial needs assessment, the Embrace team found a clear need for improved services around hypothermia management in the region due to a lack of human resources, adequate equipment, and current knowledge. Embrace is currently working with the Raebareli District Government to introduce our innovative infant warmer and complementary education program into five Primary Health Centers in the area. This program will allow us to reach at least 1250 infants and families in need within the first year, and the potential to impact even more lives as we work to establish a sustainable program.
Thank you for helping us Spread the Warmth to a new region in India!
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We are delighted to post our first report on the project, Preventing Newborn Hypothermia In Afghanistan. We are grateful to those that have kick-started this project’s fund - thank you!
In mid-February, Embrace met with the Afghan team in San Francisco, who will be training doctors, midwives, nurses and mothers in Kabul on how to use the warmers. After the training, the team travelled to Afghanistan where they are currently doing further assessment on a number of hospitals to identify the best site to launch the program. Our partner (in Aghanistan) is currently meeting with hospital administrators, doctors, and other key-stakeholders to introduce the Embrace program. Additionally, the warmers have arrived in Kabul for our launch. We are also in the process of hiring a local site manager who will help with program implementation and training. The site manager and our team will:
We are so excited and hope you continue to be a part of our mission of giving all infants an equal chance for a healthy life.
Thank you for helping us spread the warmth!
BSSK is a non-profit organization that provides welfare services to families and children in need, irrespective of caste, creed, community or religion. They are based in Pune, India. Their small neonatal nursery typically treats up to 10 babies at any given time, and while they have some radiant warmers to care for their premature and low birth weight babies, they do not have enough to accomodate all the babies. Embrace is excited to be partnering with BSSK, as we strive to provide all babies with an equal chance for a healthy life. BSSK is using the Embrace infant warmer to provide thermal care to babies that need thermal stabilization and support.
Baby Girija was hypothermic when she was first brought to BSSK. She was kept in the Embrace warmer until she was able to regulate her body temperature. She is now feeding regularly and is putting on weight. Thanks to Embrace and the dedicated care she is receiving through BSSK, baby Girija is thriving!
Thank you so much for helping us to Spread the Warmth!
