Students from Rice University in Texas developed a low cost technology which helps small and sick babies breathe. Using a shoe box and an aquarium pump, these students created the Pumani bCPAP prototype that, at 1/10 of the traditional CPAP cost, is now providing life saving technology in many hospitals throughout Malawi. With USAID support, a clinical trial demonstrated that the Pumani bCPAP increases newborn survival rates by 27 percent. 3rd Stone Design, a California based company, now manufactures and exports the device. This lower cost innovation is being scaled up across other countries around the globe.
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This blog is part of the HNN collection, Telling Your Story: transforming care for small and sick newborns. If you have a story to share about transforming care for small and sick newborns, send a 300-600-word blog about your experience or research to info@healthynewbornnetwork.org.
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