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Neonatal Mortality

Neonatal mortality reduction in Andhra Pradesh, India: The CHAMPION Trial

We are working in tribal regions of Andhra Pradesh where public health services are generally poor, and health knowledge is poor. Due to these problems, 5-6% of children die before one month of age. The main causes of death are infections acquired around birth, and birth asphyxiation due to problems during delivery.

In order to reduce neonatal mortality, we will contract out primary and secondary pregnancy-related care to the private sector, and we will employ nurses to provide and coordinate antenatal care in communities. In addition, we will train local birth attendants in safe delivery practices, and launch a community health promotion campaign to improve community knowledge of safe delivery and early treatment of neonates. The trial tests whether a system of contracting out healthcare to the private sector, in combination with community health promotion, is an economic way to reduce neonatal mortality.

During 2007-2010 these interventions will be provided to 150,000 people in the region. If we find that neonatal mortality is substantially reduced in a cost effective manner, we will expand the project to cover 300,000 people in 2010.

The CHAMPION trial is collaboration between Effective Intervention, the Naandi Foundation, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine