Every year, 2.6 million newborns (children aged 1-28 days) die in the world, with Sub-Sahara African countries accounting for 42% of these deaths. 60-80% of newborns in this region suffer from hypothermia, which largely contributes to increased mortality in addition to infection and asphyxia.
On top of these stark statistics about infant mortality due to hypothermia comes another:
70% of medical equipment donated to low- and middle-income countries is never put into commission. This is because they are not adapted to the climate and socio-economic context of low- and middle-income countries.
Reasons include:
- High cost of ownership
- Unstable electricity
- The harsher environment (humidity, high temperature and dust)
- Lack of resources, staff and training
- Lack of logistics and parts for maintenance