The SUN Project is bringing vital medical equipment to providers in Ukraine to help save newborns. Each day, approximately 1000 mothers give birth in war-torn Ukraine. With many healthcare facilities bombed or destroyed, many babies are born in settings lacking basic medical equipment. In addition, recent attacks have targeted the Ukrainian power grid, resulting in prolonged outages across the country. For babies whose care relies on electricity-powered medical devices (including laboratory testing), this may mean major disruptions in their care. 

Approximately half of all newborns will develop some level of jaundice in their first days of life, while 1 in 10 may require treatment. Neonatal jaundice is curable with blue light phototherapy. Failure to deliver this simple and effective treatment to newborns with severe cases of jaundice can result in permanent brain damage or death.

The Ukrainian Neonatology Association has urgently requested humanitarian medical aide for jaundice management for centers in zones of active hostilities.

“Due to the war situation in our country and the extreme conditions in which we have to help our newborns and their mothers today, we would like to ask you for humanitarian aid that would provide us with necessary medical equipment. For management of jaundice in newborns, we need special equipment for the possibility of its use in adapted premises during active hostilities.”    — T.K. Znamenskaya (President of Ukrainian Neonatology Association)

The BWH Global Advancement of Infants and Mothers (AIM) lab and Little Sparrows Technologies developed a set of low-cost tools to identify and treat newborn jaundice in resource-limited settings (for more information, see below).

In response to the crisis and request from Ukrainian healthcare professionals, the SUN Project aims to support Ukrainian hospitals and facilities in need, partnering with physicians, hospitals, and NGOs in the region. 

Project Updates from Ukraine

This hospital had to set up a makeshift NICU in their basement for protection during bombing.

An intubated preemie in a crib in the make shift basement NICU

Nurse receiving first two bili-huts made it to a maternity hospital in Ivano-Frankivst, Ukraine

Taped window at hospital entrance

Baby receives bili-hut phototherapy treatment in Ivano-Frankivst maternity hospital

Nurse and new mom with her baby receiving treatment

Mom looking over her baby receiving phototherapy treatment in Ivano-Frankivst maternity hospital

Community fundraising efforts for the SUN project

Community fundraiser held in Washington D.C. by multiple stakeholders

The Bili-kit for Jaundice Management 

The BWH Global Advancement of Infants and Mothers (AIM) lab and Little Sparrows Technologies developed a set of low-cost tools to identify and treat newborn jaundice in resource-limited settings (bili-ruler and bili-hut).

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