Strengthening Newborn Care in LREB Counties

Through the Public Sector Scaling (PSS) partnership with the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB), Insight Health Advisors is supporting counties to integrate high-impact health innovations into routine public sector service delivery using the Mountain Model (MM) Framework.

Neoguard training Bungoma Mother and Child Centre

This approach focuses on putting county governments in the driving seat of clarifying their priority needs (innovation demand articulation), identifying proven solutions, aligning them with county health priorities, and investing in their adoption, scaling, and integration within their health systems.

Among the innovations prioritized by LREB counties is NeoGuard, a wearable device that enables continuous monitoring of newborn babies’ vital signs in neonatal units. On March 3, 2026, NeoGuard implementation training was conducted at Bungoma Mother and Child Centre and Butere Mother and Child Centre, equipping newborn unit teams—including nurses, biomedical staff, pediatricians, and neonatologists—with the practical skills required to use the devices effectively.

NeoGuard continuously tracks oxygen saturation, pulse rate, temperature, and respiratory rate, helping clinicians monitor newborns more effectively, especially in busy units where one nurse may have to care for many babies.

The expected benefits of introducing NeoGuard in neonatal units include:

• Earlier detection of newborn deterioration and faster clinical response

• Improved monitoring capacity in high-volume newborn units

• Better & timely clinical decision-making through real-time vital sign data

• Improved quality of care for vulnerable newborns

• Enhanced outcomes for newborns; reduced mortality.

The training combined hands-on demonstrations and practical simulations, allowing healthcare teams to practice device setup, interpretation of alerts, infection prevention procedures, and patient data management.

Neoguard training with Neonatal unit staff

This initiative demonstrates how structured approaches like Public Sector Scaling through the Mountain Model can help move innovations beyond pilots and into everyday healthcare delivery.

We appreciate the strong partnership with LREB counties and the LREB Secretariat, whose commitment to scaling innovations is helping strengthen neonatal care systems, saving lives and improving health outcomes across the region.