The Achievements:Newborn health and survival / Home
In Search of Health Care for Rural and Tribal People
Newborn health and survival
 
The Gadchiroli Field Trial
 
In a prospective observational study of home care for rural neonates, SEARCH gathered evidence about the natural history, morbidity, danger signs, and causes of death among these home-cared neonates (The Lancet 1999, Journal of Perinatology 2005).
 
Based on this knowledge, SEARCH designed "Home-based Neonatal Care (HBNC) " and conducted a five-year field trial in 39 villages of Gadchiroli district.
 
The trial revealed that rural mothers and Village Health Workers (VHWs) could be trained to manage most sick neonates at home.
 
This approach reduced the neonatal mortality by 70% and the IMR by 57%. (Journal of Perinatology 2005.)