Preventable newborn deaths remain one of the most urgent and persistent challenges in global health, especially in low-resource countries where timely, skilled intervention at birth is often unavailable. In Nepal, the neonatal mortality rate has stalled at 21 deaths per 1,000 live births for over a decade, rising to 30 per 1,000 in rural provinces such as Lumbini. For context, countries including the United Kingdom and Germany report rates below 3 per 1,000, highlighting the stark global inequity in newborn survival. Behind each of these statistics is a newborn who might have survived if healthcare workers had retained the resuscitation skills they once learned.
This initiative directly addresses that life-and-death gap. It builds on the globally validated Helping Babies Breathe program to deliver a mobile training solution that puts ongoing, hands-on neonatal resuscitation practice into the hands of rural healthcare workers. In settings where face-to-face refreshers are rare, this app provides continuous, simulation-based microlearning, empowering providers to act decisively during the "Golden Minute" when a baby's life hangs in the balance, even in high-volume facilities where routine demands often outpace opportunities for structured retraining.
Our successful pilot study in one of Nepal’s highest-risk regions showed statistically significant improvements in skill retention and performance after six months, even without retraining. This evidence proves the potential of digital reinforcement to sustain life-saving competencies where they're needed most.
This initiative exemplifies the power of SDG 3 in action: it strengthens health systems, builds local capacity, and delivers real-world impact for the most vulnerable. By ensuring that no healthcare worker forgets how to save a life, and no newborn is lost for lack of skill, this project offers a scalable, sustainable blueprint for improving newborn survival in the places that need it most.
