GE Healthcare, the US$ 18 billion healthcare business of General Electric Company, has introduced a suite of new innovative solutions for the survival and growth of neonates in the primary care settings.

Over the last decade there have been many advances in neonatal care, yet birth asphyxia and hypothermia remain leading causes of infant death and disabilities like blindness worldwide. There is a huge need to improve access to innovative solutions offering clinical performance, ease of use and affordability.

“Innovation is critical to tackle the huge neonatal mortality in India and around the world, and GE Healthcare is on the frontline of accessible solutions,” said Rita M Barksdale, global general manager, Maternal Infant Care, GE Healthcare.

Pre-term births, neonatal hypothermia, birth asphyxia, lack of oxygen circulation and jaundice are some of the largest causes for neonatal morbidity and mortality. These deaths and disabilities formed in the process of survival are preventable with access to quality critical care solutions like Warmers, Resuscitation, CPAP (breathing support for under-developed infant lungs) and phototherapy devices.

The first minute after birth is the most critical period for an infant and hospitals need to be prepared for exigencies like asphyxia caused due to airway blockage. The Lullaby Resus Prime and Lullaby Resus Plus are neonatal resuscitation devices that deliver simple operation with flexible patient circuits, bag-and-mask and T-piece configurations respectively, and are intuitive to operate to accommodate virtually any level of skill. These integrated, compact systems put lifesaving capabilities right at the bedside. Lullaby Resus Prime allows the control of suction pressures within Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) guidelines.

The Lullaby Warmer Prime is designed to operate in tough conditions and is equipped with a re-usable probe made with Kevlar, the same material used in bullet-proof vests for reliability. The system can work without a voltage stabilizer and has been designed to withstand heavy voltage fluctuations prevalent in rural areas of India and operates on 50 per cent lesser electricity than comparable systems.

“Helping newborns survive their first day and their first week of life represents the greatest challenge in reducing child mortality and meeting the ambitious Millennium Development Goal (MDG4). India contributes to 23 per cent of child mortality and 19 per cent of maternal mortality on the planet. India should invest in health infrastructure, bring in affordable technologies and develop skilled healthcare professionals to achieve MDGs,” said Dr M Padmanabh Reddy, CEO, NICE Foundation, Hyderabad.