Bilikit – A Solution for Neonatal Jaundice
Do you know what neonatal jaundice is? It is a condition in which babies are born with a high level of bilirubin in the blood, which causes their skin to turn yellow. This condition can affect the development of children, so its diagnosis and treatment are crucial for their optimal growth. Bilikit is the first complete evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment package for neonatal jaundice adapted to low-resource contexts. This innovative package combines technologies evaluated in other contexts and integrates them into health services in the Department of Junín in Peru. Bilikit is an alternative solution that is less costly than traditional strategies and identification and treatment approaches. In addition, the technologies involved are easy to use and transport, facilitating their use in the vulnerable contexts where they are most needed.
Problematic
Neonatal jaundice affects almost 60 percent of babies worldwide. If not treated in a timely manner, it can cause severe damage to brain development, paralysis, deafness, and even lead to death of children. Limited access to adequate medical care leads to many children not being diagnosed or treated on time. In Peru, health centers often do not have the tools necessary to adequately identify and treat this condition. As a result, the rate of brain damage caused by neonatal jaundice is 20 times higher in Peru than in developed countries. Even though technology can solve the problem, few alternatives are available that are adapted to low-income populations.
Solution
Bilikit combines three technologies involving identification, diagnosis, and phototherapy treatment to combat neonatal jaundice. The technologies have been evaluated separately in the contexts of developing countries, but in this case, they are integrated to provide a technological package appropriate for low-income contexts. In terms of application, babies are first examined during their first week of life to identify jaundice using the Bili-ruler, a low-cost ruler that is placed against the tip of the baby’s nose. It is a precise but non-invasive technology that is easy to use. The ruler allows for comparing the color of the baby’s skin with scientifically selected colors. Babies with high levels of bilirubin as measured by the Bili-ruler are further evaluated using a test to measure levels of bilirubin in the blood using the Bilistick, which requires only a drop of blood to carry out the diagnosis. Babies diagnosed with jaundice are treated with phototherapy in the Bili-hut, a portable device that can be used in the health care center as well as in the home. In addition, it functions with batteries, which makes it ideal for contexts where there is no reliable electricity service. To ensure optimal application, personnel in health centers receive training in the use of the Bilikit.
Evaluation and Impact
No information available. Although the three technologies involved have been previously tested in Burundi, Cambodia, Ethiopia, and India, this is the first time that they are being used together.