Revolutionizing Global Health: 11 Innovations to Save 6 Million MothersChildren by 2030

The latest analysis has highlighted eleven innovative health interventions that could save over six million mothers and children by 2030, provided they are appropriately funded in twenty-four priority countries.

When I began my work in global health at the World Health Organisation in 1990, every year, a staggering twelve-point-seven million children under five years old and nearly half a million new mothers lost their lives. The prospect seemed daunting, but our relentless global collaboration has led to a remarkable decline - child deaths have been halved, dropping to an estimated fifty-nine hundred thousand in 2015, while maternal deaths have been reduced to just over three hundred thousand.

While progress is commable, it's not sufficient for achieving the ambitious goal by the sustnable development goals SDGs of ing maternal and child fatalities by 2030. For accelerating this progress, we will need creative tools and methodologies that are impactful across a broad spectrum, ensuring not only healthier babies but also protecting mothers and securing long-term health improvements.

The eleven game-changing innovations modelled in our analysis include crowd-sourced insights from experts worldwide. These technologies or approaches have been proven to have wide-ranging impacts on public health and welfare.

1. Injectable Contraceptives: A new formulation of a widely-used long-acting contraceptive administered via an easy-to-use injection is already increasing accessibility by enabling community health workers to directly deliver the drug to women. Some countries are even exploring the possibility of allowing women to self-administer, thus empowering them with greater control over their reproductive choices.

2. Better Pneumonia Treatment: Accurately diagnosing pneumonia in young children remns a significant challenge. Innovations like improved respiratory rate monitors and portable pulse oximeters can significantly help in saving lives from this disease, which is currently the leading cause of infections among under-five-year-olds.

3. Kangaroo Mother Care: There are multiple approaches that we have at our disposal now to improve newborn health outcomes immediately post-delivery. Kangaroo mother care - an infant lying agnst their mother's bare chest for warmth and skin-to-skin contact – can greatly reduce the risk of complications.

4. Drugs to Stop Blood Loss After Childbirth: Researchers are currently developing new forms of oxytocin, a crucial drug used to prevent postpartum hemorrhage or severe bleeding after delivery. These innovations could be instrumental in exting coverage as they don't require skilled healthcare personnel for administration and do not necessitate refrigeration.

5. Rice Fortification: Improving dietary intake is fundamental to health improvement. Advances in rice fortification, a method that enriches rice with vitamins and iron supplements, are being explored particularly where rice is the staple food source.

6. New Tests for Maternal Conditions: Preeclampsia affects one out of every twenty pregnant women worldwide, which can lead to severe complications including seizures due to dangerously high blood pressure. Development of new diagnostic tools med at identifying those at risk will enable early treatment.

Funding these life-saving innovations won't come solely from traditional donors; governments in low- and middle-income countries must play a significant role as well, along with local entrepreneurs who have the potential for affordable solutions. The private sector and social impact investors also want to participate, but they need better information about what's currently avlable, what is anticipated soon or where there might be gaps requiring new ideas.

To ensure that preventable maternal and child deaths are eradicated globally by 2030, the world must invest in emerging health innovations so that promising ideas transform into real solutions. The lives of millions of women and children dep on this collective effort.

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This article is reproduced from: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2016/oct/27/11-health-innovations-to-drastically-cut-maternal-and-child-mortality-rates

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