Guwahati: The Assam government has decided to use SAANS, an air pressure machine developed by a Bangalore-based start-up, in the state-run hospitals across the state.
‘SAANS’ is a portable neonatal Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) system that can provide lifesaving breathing support to infants in hospital settings as well as during travel.
The decision comes following the success of a pilot project to reduce neonatal mortality with the special equipment.
According to an official of the start-up InnAccel Technologies, the machine was used with some babies at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) as a pilot project and demonstrated “excellent results”.
He said following this, more than 50 SAANS devices have been deployed across medical colleges in Assam to date with more deployments underway to district hospitals
For the development of the machine, InnAccel Technologies, incubated at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), joined hands with the SAMRIDH Healthcare Blended Finance Facility to strengthen respiratory support for newborns and paediatric populations in Assam.
SAMRIDH is a multi-stakeholder innovation and financing platform supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by IPE Global.
“Through this partnership, InnAccel Technologies will receive access to affordable finance and technical assistance to expand the production and distribution of SAANS,” said the maker of the indigenous life-saving device to reduce neonatal mortality due to Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS).
The partnership between InnAccel, C-CAMP and SAMRIDH with support from the National Health Mission, Assam and the Government of Assam will help deploy 307 units of SAANS in the state, the company official said.