AWARD YEAR
2015
CATEGORY
Body
GOALS
Good Health & Well-being
KEYWORDS
jaundice, treatment, newborn
COUNTRY
United States of America
DESIGNED BY
Design that Matters
EMW (East Meets West Foundation)
MTTS (Vietnamese manufacturer)
WEBSITE
http://www.designthatmatters.org/impact/#firefly
FIREFLY
Firefly is the world’s most effective newborn phototherapy device for low resource contexts.
Firefly is the world’s most effective newborn phototherapy device for low resource contexts - it reduces treatment times by almost 50%. 10% of all newborns worldwide require jaundice treatment to prevent death or lifelong disability. Global health experts estimate 6-10% of newborn mortality can be attributed to jaundice and complications caused by jaundice. Phototherapy - shining a blue light on babies’ skin - is the most cost-effective way to treat jaundice. Firefly Infant Phototherapy dramatically reduces infant mortality by treating mild to severe jaundice. Firefly transforms national health systems by empowering local facilities, and freeing up resources in higher-level hospitals so they can better address other, more complicated conditions. Firefly is the first device designed to treat newborn jaundice in the mother’s room in rural clinics - the best context to reduce staff workload, support breastfeeding, and free up critical space in overcrowded clinics.