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Issue Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) causes more deaths per year than any parasitic disease except malaria. Accurate, non-invasive diagnostic tests that reflect disease activity are urgently needed for the disease. Solution The project team wanted to develop a unique, low-cost, non-invasive test using an electricity-free platform for visceral leishmaniasis. The project was based on the premise that monoclonal antibodies against the A2 antigen…

Issue In the Philippines, 35% of children under 5 years old are anemic. Furthermore, nearly half of Filipino households fail to reach their daily protein needs. Spirulina, a nutrient-rich algae, provides far more protein per gram than other meat or plant sources. Unfortunately, Spirulina is often sold as a high-end nutritional supplement and is unaffordable for low-income families. 10 grams of Spirulina per day has been shown to improve children’s nutritional status. Solution The project studied the process of growing Spirulina as an…

…health issue. As infectious and nutritional causes of early childhood death have been prevented, drowning has been newly recognized as a leading cause of death after infancy for children in South and East Asia. It is the single leading cause of death in children aged 1–17 years in Bangladesh . Solution This project introduced cost-effective,…of the Council, villagers gathered at the site of drownings and discussed prevention measures. These social autopsies raised awareness and acceptance for three interventions aimed at different groups of children. (1) Anchals (village daycare centres) provided a safe place with adult supervision for children 1–5 years old; (2) SwimSafe survival swimming training was provided for children 6 years old, and rescue and CPR training was provided to children 7–9 years old; and (3) Older adolescents were trained in first aid and first response, including CPR. Forty Anchals were created where children attended for four hours…

…mostly among African children. Artemisinin, extracted from the plant Artemisia annua, in combination with other drugs known as Artemisinin Combination Treatments (ACTs), is now the front-line treatment for malaria. A stable, reliable supply of artemisinin at an affordable cost is a critical requirement for malaria treatment. In the process of producing natural artemisinin, every ton of Artemisia leaves extracted yields 7 to 8 kilos of artemisinin and 30 to 40 kilos of waste (primarily waxes), which also contains about 10% dihydroartemisic acid (DHAA and AA). Although not yet carried out…

Issue According to the World Health Organization (WHO), healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are a major global issue for patient safety, affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide. HAIs are the fourth leading cause of death, both in Canada and in the United States; in developing countries, the risk is 2 to 20 times higher. Eighty percent …at each hospital. Outcome Visual examination of the coated items at Mount Sinai Hospital showed all coatings were in good condition one year after installation, with no signs of visible wear or corrosion. The tests results showed that the coatings can provide long lasting, durable and low-maintenance surfaces with strong antibacterial properties. In contrast, the…

IssueDue to high rates of stillbirth and poor MNCH, Jamaica’s Ministry of Health has been committed to building health system capacity to ensure mothers and newborns have the best possible health outcomes.SolutionThe Helping Babies Survive (HBS) project aimed to integrate health workforce planning and health service capacity to provide essential care to newborns and mothers.The…capacity and overall skill level.OutcomeIntegrating health service and workforce planning enabled decision/policy-makers to effectively utilize their workforce to meet care demands. The project observed a greater capacity for team-delivered care for neonates and women.Over 9 months, the HBS program trained and enhanced the skills of 14 Master Trainers and 39 healthcare providers.The study of daily workflows and capacity found:On an ‘average’ day: requirements for newborns exams, handwashing, and breastfeeding support were unable to be metOn a ‘busy’ day: there are further shortages of servicesOn ‘higher-needs’ days: care requirements are pronouncedBuilding capacity of facilities through workforce allocation and…

…transmitted by insect vectors remain major causes of morbidity and mortality. Treated clothing can offer personal protection and reduce vector transmission when used either indoors or outdoors. To date, only permethrin is used and registered for the treatment of protective clothing against blood-sucking insects, and the use of permethrin-treated clothing is limited to the tourism and military sectors. Solution The objective of the…protective garments that are highly effective, wash-resistant, safer and more economical than currently available commercial technology. Detailed results have not been disseminated due to the commercial sensitivity and confidential nature of the work, but will be disseminated once the final choice of AIs and technologies, have been confirmed and scaling up of the project begins.

Issue Lack of access to affordable menstrual pads by women and school girls causes significant costs to their health, education, productivity and dignity. Because of the high costs and rural unavailability of commercial sanitary pads in Uganda, women and girls regularly use makeshift devices (such as toilet paper or old rags). In Uganda, school absenteeism associated with menstruation remains a challenge, greatly affecting their performance. Solution AFRIpads is a Ugandan company that manufactures and sells low-cost, cloth, washable sanitary pads designed for up to one year of use, at a fraction of the cost of an equivalent supply of disposable pads. The innovative product is designed to be comfortable, cost-saving…

Fonkoze’s network of micro-entrepreneurs will bring affordable, accessible, and reliable health products to up to 500,000 hard-to-reach people in rural Haiti thanks to new funding from Grand Challenges Canada and partners.With the goal of improving the health of vulnerable hard-to-reach women and children, Fonkoze developed Boutik Sante (‘health shop’), a model for the delivery of essential health products and services in rural Haiti through female micro-entrepreneurs.Fonkoze helps successful microcredit borrowers operate self-sustaining micro-businesses that deliver healthcare products and services to those lacking affordable and reliable access in rural areas. Micro-entrepreneurs are trained to communicate appropriate health information in association with the products they sell, promote increased and appropriate utilization of existing health services, and more.As the largest microfinance institution in Haiti, Fonkoze is leveraging its existing client base of borrowers and vast…

In Haiti, the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country still coping with the catastrophic effects of a major earthquake in 2010, there are currently fewer than 30 psychiatrists for more than 10 million people — a population with widespread psychosocial and psychiatric issues.“Physical and psychological violence are frequent in a child’s life in Haiti — a problem exacerbated by extreme poverty,” says Yves Lecomte, a psychologist and professor at the University of Quebec-TELUQ. He leads a Grand Challenges Canada project to create a network of Haitian community services and caregivers to promote mental health, to offer psychosocial services, and specifically, to oppose family violence, abuse, and the potential mental health problems caused. Says Dr. Lecomte: “Children can be the…slaves — cleaning, carrying water or providing other services, becoming easy targets for physical or psychological abuse. Those kids are at risk to suffer developmental problems growing up without anyone playing the fundamental role of parent.” Dr. Lecomte's project will focus on Grand-Goáve, a semi-rural region of 130,000 inhabitants, and will collaborate with a citizens’…