Neonatal Care – SWAP project for life-saving treatment

Business Report :

The Saving Women and Premature Babies (SWAP) project, a flagship initiative led by Save the Children in Bangladesh in collaboration with the National Newborn Health Programme (NNHP) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), officially concluded Wednesday with a Learning Dissemination and Celebration Event held in capital.
The SWAP project aimed to reduce preventable maternal and neonatal deaths by enhancing the quality of care for small and sick newborns (SSNBs) and women experiencing complications during pregnancy. The project was implemented across five public and private health facilities in Dhaka, Sylhet, and Lakshmipur, significantly strengthening clinical practices and health systems in these regions.
Prof. Dr. Mohammad Shahidullah, President of BCPS and Chairperson of NTWC-NBH, attended as the Chief Guest. Dr. Md. Zainal Abedin Tito, Line Director of Health System Management (HSM), Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), presided over the event, says a press release.
Among the project’s notable achievements was the introduction of the Vayu bubble Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (bCPAP) system, a cost-effective and electricity-independent solution for managing neonatal respiratory distress.
The device was deployed in tertiary hospitals and district-level facilities, including Bangladesh Medical University (ex-pg), Sylhet Medical College Hospital, MR Khan Shishu Hospital, Mohammadpur Fertility Services and Training Centre (MFSTC), and Lakshmipur District Hospital. As of February 2024, 304 newborns were successfully treated using the Vayu bCPAP system in these facilities.
Health service providers across project sites reported high satisfaction with the device, citing its user-friendly design, portability, and non-reliance on electricity, making it particularly suitable for low-resource and remote settings. Medical professionals advocated for its national scale-up, recognizing its potential to reduce neonatal mortality significantly.
The event also highlighted other critical interventions piloted under SWAP, including Family-Centered Care (FCC) and Neonatal Life (NNL) training platforms, which have collectively contributed to improved outcomes for mothers and newborns.