Kazol Rani Paul – A Midwife Dedicated to Ensuring Quality Maternal and Newborn Care Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic   

Bangladesh HNN Team

Right now, Bangladesh, like other countries, is battling its fight against COVID-19. The entire health system is heavily occupied in meeting the rising demands of health services for COVID-19 patients and continuing their emergency medical services. There is a decline in the demand of seeking healthcare services from general patients fearing contraction of the virus. … Continued

Simprints to provide biometric tech and expertise to Bangladesh government for newborn healthcare

Biometric Update Bangladesh HNN Team

This article was originally published by Biometric Simprints and the ICT Division of the Government of Bangladesh have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), under which the company will support the “Digital Bangladesh” initiative by deploying its technology to perform biometric verification of up to a million expectant mothers and newborn children for medical care. The … Continued

New Project Aims to Increase First-Time Parents’ Access to Family Planning in Bangladesh and Tanzania

GW Public Health Bangladesh, Tanzania, United Republic of HNN Team

Every year, over 13 million girls aged 15 to 19 give birth in low- and middle-income countries, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Many of these young mothers are married and first-time parents, and are often under family and community pressure to have a second child quickly. Young mothers who have a second child very rapidly … Continued

Failure to register newborns leaves millions ‘invisible’ warns UN Children’s Fund

UN News India, Ethiopia, Zambia, Chad, Nepal, Bangladesh HNN Team

This article was originally posted on UN News   UNICEF reports that the births of one in four children under-five, or some 166 million children globally, have never been officially recorded. Too many children are “slipping through the cracks,” said Henrietta Fore, the agency’s Executive Director: “A child not registered at birth is invisible – nonexistent … Continued

Babies in the dark

UNFPA Bangladesh HNN Team

This article originally appeared on UNFPA’s website here. The old lady walks rapidly through the refugee camp outside Cox’s Bazar in southern Bangladesh. Everyone recognises her, many shouting “Hello grandma, what is your news?” She likes to walk fast, just like she likes to talk fast. She stops in front of houses with pregnant women, … Continued

Johns Hopkins University and University of Manitoba Faculty Awarded Grant to Study Prelacteals’ Impact on Neonatal Microbiome

Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health Bangladesh HNN Team

This article was originally published on Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health’s website here. In many countries, ritual foods, such as honey and animal milk, are commonly given to newborns before they are first breastfed or early in life. These foods, called prelacteals, may undermine the benefits newborns would otherwise receive from exclusive … Continued

This JHU team is developing tools to assess newborn health

Technically Baltimore Bangladesh, Uganda HNN Team

This news item originally appeared in Technically Baltimore here. A team from Johns Hopkins’ Center for Bioengineering Innovation and Design (CBID) will be among the finalists presenting prototypes in D.C. as part of an event putting a spotlight on the role of hardware in social innovation. The NeMo Asssessment System, which has been in development … Continued

Three in four Rohingya refugee babies are born in unsanitary bamboo shelters

Save the Children Bangladesh HNN Team

Save the Children estimates after assessment in community of 20,000 expectant mothers need access to proper maternal care, says Save the Children FAIRFIELD, Conn. (June 3, 2019)—An estimated 75 percent of Rohingya babies are born in the unsafe and unsanitary bamboo shelters in which refugees live, based on an assessment by Save the Children. Home … Continued

The miracle of a mother’s touch

The Daily Star Bangladesh HNN Team

When Shanta became pregnant for the second time, her family was elated. Two years back, the 18-year-old mother gave birth to her first child and luckily, there wasn’t any pregnancy or childbirth-related complications, despite her being underage. So, the couple from Narsingdi was looking forward to welcome the new addition to their family. Shanta was … Continued

Trained midwives provide healthcare to Rohingya women

Dhaka Tribune Bangladesh HNN Team

BRAC University is providing a three-year course to train midwives to improve maternal and neonatal health services in Bangladesh Scores of midwives are working in the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar to ensure health security, deliver babies and help young mothers. About 148 midwives, who completed a diploma course under the Developing Midwives Project from … Continued