Summary of on- going Activities
Pioneer Medical Research Foundation‘s Project Palav for use of a simple cost effective breathing support system that can provide support to breathing of newborns who suffer from pneumonia or weak premature lungs to be used during hospital stay or during transport.
Issue:
In India and most of the developing world in Africa mainly in the rural and tribal areas infant deaths are very high. More than 50 % of infant mortality is because of lung related illnesses which are undiagnosed or untreated. The main objective of this project is to save babies born with weak lungs or those with pneumonia.
Action:
We have designed a strategy to effectively provide support to the lungs using a portable affordable system modified from evidence based proven heated humidified high flow nasal cannula system. It will help keep the babies lungs open and help the baby to live. As a part of Project Palav what we have done so far is to get some of this equipment from USA and send them to semi-urban or rural hospitals in selected regions. We have several pilot programs running that involves training medical staff, installing the equipment for free at government hospitals in the rural and semi-urban settings and tracking changes in infant mortality and need of transport. We also have created a training video of use of heated humidified high flow nasal cannula system for the developing world.
Past Actions:
Pioneer Medical Research Foundation initially implemented high end technology like Therapeutic Hypothermia for newborns with birth asphyxia in India in two level three neonatal intensive care units. This therapy was received by number of newborns but masses did not benefit. It was realized that many hospitals do not have equipment like ventilators for care for newborns with respiratory distress. When the ventilators were provided it was realized that there was lacunae of trained medical staff to use them especially in rural areas.
Ongoing Programs:
Future Actions:
We have created a comprehensive program of triage, treat and transport of newborns with respiratory distress that can be used by Pediatricians, medical officers and traditional birth attendants in rural area.
We intend to pilot and scale this program to help decrease infant mortality related to respiratory illnesses.
Community Activities:
Issue:
In India and most of the developing world in Africa mainly in the rural and tribal areas infant deaths are very high. More than 50 % of infant mortality is because of lung related illnesses which are undiagnosed or untreated. The main objective of this project is to save babies born with weak lungs or those with pneumonia.
Action:
We have designed a strategy to effectively provide support to the lungs using a portable affordable system modified from evidence based proven heated humidified high flow nasal cannula system. It will help keep the babies lungs open and help the baby to live. As a part of Project Palav what we have done so far is to get some of this equipment from USA and send them to semi-urban or rural hospitals in selected regions. We have several pilot programs running that involves training medical staff, installing the equipment for free at government hospitals in the rural and semi-urban settings and tracking changes in infant mortality and need of transport. We also have created a training video of use of heated humidified high flow nasal cannula system for the developing world.
Past Actions:
Pioneer Medical Research Foundation initially implemented high end technology like Therapeutic Hypothermia for newborns with birth asphyxia in India in two level three neonatal intensive care units. This therapy was received by number of newborns but masses did not benefit. It was realized that many hospitals do not have equipment like ventilators for care for newborns with respiratory distress. When the ventilators were provided it was realized that there was lacunae of trained medical staff to use them especially in rural areas.
Ongoing Programs:
- Therapeutic Hypothermia for Newborns with Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy.
- Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, Pune, India
- KEM Hospital, Pune, India
- Sant Dnyaneshwar Medical Education and Research Center, Pune, India
- Heated Humidified High Flow nasal Cannula system for newborns with mild to moderate respiratory distress:
- KEM Hospital, Pune, India
- Sant Dnyaneshwar Medical Education and Research Center, Pune, India
- Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital, Pimpri, Pune
- Dr. Vasantrao Pawar Medical College, Nashik, Maharashtra
- Modern Clinic and maternity center, Wai, Maharashtra
- Pinapanneni Medical center, Vyyuru, Andhra Pradesh
- Anand Hospital, Alephata, Bhor, Maharashtra
- JSS Medical College, Mysore, Karnataka
- CMC Ludhiana, Punjab
Future Actions:
We have created a comprehensive program of triage, treat and transport of newborns with respiratory distress that can be used by Pediatricians, medical officers and traditional birth attendants in rural area.
We intend to pilot and scale this program to help decrease infant mortality related to respiratory illnesses.
Community Activities:
- USAID grant application title: Portable low cost high flow nasal cannula system for newborns with respiratory distress in semi urban settings in India. Not funded.
- Caplow's Children's Prize (million dollar award): grant title: Portable, safe, humidified heated high flow nasal cannula system to save 3000 lives in rural and semiurban Maharashtra, India.: Selected for second round but did not get funded.
- Created an online fundraising for Pioneer medical Research Foundation: Published in Wayne State University's Prognosis E news: (http://prognosis.med.wayne.edu/article/professors-charity-to-save-babies-with-weak-lungs-launches-online-fundraising-campaign)
- Saving babies with weak lungs campaign was published in online magazine: Model D (http://www.modeldmedia.com/startupnews/palavindiadetroit080613.aspx)
