InnAccel Technologies

Portable, infrastructure-independent, neonatal CPAP device

CURRENT IMPACT

As on August 2023

1300+

infants & neonates treated

270+

units installed in health facilities in Assam

Geographical Focus
  • PAN India with focus on Assam
Potential Impact
  • Reach

    66,000

    infants lives

Samridh support

SAMRIDH’s financial assistance is enabling InnAccel to scale-up the manufacturing of the Saans device. Moreover, with SAMRIDH’s support, InnAccel has been able to hire a dedicated commercial and support team to drive the uptake of the device through private and public healthcare systems. This initiative, in partnership with National Health Mission, Government of Assam, is enabling InnAccel to deploy 307 SAANS units in Special New-born Care Units(SNCUs) and Paediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) of district hospitals as well as in ambulances across the state. The partnership is further providing a base to replicate the model across other states.

400,000

babies are born with respiratory distress each year in non-tertiary care settings in India[1]

150,000

of these infants die due to a lack of respiratory support[2]

15.4

%

increase in child mortality in India due to direct and indirect effects of COVID-19[3]

Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) is a common breathing disorder in premature babies in India, causing 150,000 deaths annually. The condition can be treated with Continuous Positive Air Pressure(CPAP). However, the majority of infants in India are born in primary or secondary care centres that do not have access to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) equipped to handle these medical emergencies . The existing CPAP solutions require the use of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) grade infrastructure, rendering them unusable for transport. As a result, about one-third of these RDS-related deaths occur while the infants are being transported to an NICU. These infant mortalities can be significantly reduced if CPAP therapy becomes accessible in lower-level health care centres and suitable for transport to NICUs.

[1] Jasbir Singh et al. Transport characteristics and predictors of mortality among neonates referred to a tertiary care centre in North India: a prospective observational study”, BMJ Online, July 2021

[2] Buch Pankaj, M., et al. “Status of Newborn Transport in Periphery and Risk Factors of Neonatal Mortality among Referred newborns.” Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences 16.09 (2012):3

[3] United Nations Children’s Fund, Direct and indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and response in South Asia, UNICEF, Kathmandu, March 2021, p. 21

Saans Device

 

Saans is a patented neonatal non-invasive ventilation device that provides short-term breathing support for infants suffering from Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS). Its multi-powered, multi-mode, and infrastructure-independent features make it highly useful in non-NICU settings. It is the world’s first CPAP device with a manual powering option and is designed to work during transport as well as in secondary care settings. The Saans device features an in-built compressor and blender, battery backup for up to 4-6 hours, and compatibility with all standard oxygen sources and patient interfaces, making it a versatile breathing support system for children. The device was conceptualized and developed in partnership with the Consortium for Affordable Medical Technologies (CAMTech) and the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.

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