BENGALURU: An 8g bracelet, Bempu, from Bengaluru is saving lives of small children in a long way off Papua New Guinea (PNG). The bracelet tied on a toddler's wrist provides out alerts each time temperature drops, a condition referred to as hypothermia noticed in newborns with low delivery weight.
Bempu is a made-in-India hypothermia alert tool and used to be innovated in 2016 by Bengaluru-based Ratul Narain, a Stanford University alumnus. Now, United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (Unicef) is using the tool extensively in PNG to save newborns from extreme chilly and surprising drop in temperature.
When worn by a newborn, the blue gentle on the bracelet flashes if the temperature is standard. If the temperature goes beneath the normal 36.five stage Celsius or 97.7 Fahrenheit, the bracelet flashes orange and beeps an alarm, calling for immediate clinical attention.
"The pilot was launched in PNG. It has been very successful in saving newborns and in creating awareness about hypothermia, making parents understand the need for kangaroo mother care. So far, we have used it among 1,300 children. Among them, 250 weighed less than 2.5kg at birth. Bempu alerts in case of 13 babies had parents rushing them to hospitals in time," said Dr Ghanshyam Sethy, Unicef health specialist working in PNG.
"The simple invention monitors a newborn's temperature for signs of hypothermia," learn a Unicef submit on its FB web page, which used to be accompanied by a a photo of newborn Jazeline. "When little Jazeline starts getting cold, the bracelet beeps, so mum and dad know its time for another long, warm hug," it added.
Narain said it's improbable to see Bempu bracelets saving lives all over the world. "I am grateful for the amazing team, global funders and partners that made this possible. But we have a long way to go," he added.
Before using the tool, Unicef put the bracelets through diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity and specificity checks between April-July 2017 in four normal hospitals of PNG. From then to February 2018, 1,300 devices were used on newborns with low delivery weight.
The facility has to this point been used in large part in Henganofi district, Eastern Highlands province of the rustic. It used to be used for children with less than 2.5kg delivery weight. Eastern Highlands province used to be chosen for the pilot as it's one of the most coldest terrains in PNG.
However, Dr Sethy said that in spite of being user-friendly and saving lives, the tool has positive challenges like value, only a month's battery lifestyles and the fact that it's made for single use.
"The cost is Rs 2,000 per unit, which is very expensive, considering it can be used only for one child. Currently, we are using it on newborns with low birth weight for a month. Hypothermia also affects babies who are 2-3 months old. But as it is expensive and cannot be reused after a month, there is scope for further development of the device. It would be great if the device can also sense hyperthermia or sudden increase in temperature," said Dr Sethy.
Bempu is a made-in-India hypothermia alert tool and used to be innovated in 2016 by Bengaluru-based Ratul Narain, a Stanford University alumnus. Now, United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (Unicef) is using the tool extensively in PNG to save newborns from extreme chilly and surprising drop in temperature.
When worn by a newborn, the blue gentle on the bracelet flashes if the temperature is standard. If the temperature goes beneath the normal 36.five stage Celsius or 97.7 Fahrenheit, the bracelet flashes orange and beeps an alarm, calling for immediate clinical attention.
"The pilot was launched in PNG. It has been very successful in saving newborns and in creating awareness about hypothermia, making parents understand the need for kangaroo mother care. So far, we have used it among 1,300 children. Among them, 250 weighed less than 2.5kg at birth. Bempu alerts in case of 13 babies had parents rushing them to hospitals in time," said Dr Ghanshyam Sethy, Unicef health specialist working in PNG.
"The simple invention monitors a newborn's temperature for signs of hypothermia," learn a Unicef submit on its FB web page, which used to be accompanied by a a photo of newborn Jazeline. "When little Jazeline starts getting cold, the bracelet beeps, so mum and dad know its time for another long, warm hug," it added.
Narain said it's improbable to see Bempu bracelets saving lives all over the world. "I am grateful for the amazing team, global funders and partners that made this possible. But we have a long way to go," he added.
Before using the tool, Unicef put the bracelets through diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity and specificity checks between April-July 2017 in four normal hospitals of PNG. From then to February 2018, 1,300 devices were used on newborns with low delivery weight.
The facility has to this point been used in large part in Henganofi district, Eastern Highlands province of the rustic. It used to be used for children with less than 2.5kg delivery weight. Eastern Highlands province used to be chosen for the pilot as it's one of the most coldest terrains in PNG.
However, Dr Sethy said that in spite of being user-friendly and saving lives, the tool has positive challenges like value, only a month's battery lifestyles and the fact that it's made for single use.
"The cost is Rs 2,000 per unit, which is very expensive, considering it can be used only for one child. Currently, we are using it on newborns with low birth weight for a month. Hypothermia also affects babies who are 2-3 months old. But as it is expensive and cannot be reused after a month, there is scope for further development of the device. It would be great if the device can also sense hyperthermia or sudden increase in temperature," said Dr Sethy.
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Reviewed by Kailash
on
March 13, 2019
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