GE Healthcare launched the Lullaby Warmer at the 'Arab Health 2010' expo in Dubai as part of its ‘healthymagination’ initiative to reduce cost, increase quality and access to affordable healthcare worldwide.

The Lullaby Warmer has the potential to help caregivers improve access to quality infant care in developing countries where nearly 90 per cent of the world's births occur.

Designed and manufactured in Bangalore, India,  Lullaby Warmer is a bed with an overhead heater, showering the newborn with delicate warmth while the baby is cleaned after birth and checked for its first vital statistics.

Remarkably simple to operate, even for a first-time operator, GE’s Lullaby Warmer will help improve access to care in the urban and semi-urban settings, expaalined a senior GE official.

“The healthcare industry across the world is challenged by rising costs, disparity in access and persistent quality issues,” said Carrie Eglinton Manner, general manager, Maternal-Infant Care, GE Healthcare.

“We need new cost effective and reliable solutions to bridge the huge gap of unmet healthcare needs. Addressing this need will help us grow as well.”

Globally, 139 million births occur each year, of which approximately 4 million neonates (less than 1 month old) die from mostly preventable causes. At least 50 per cent of global births occur in under-served settings where access to affordable technology remains limited.

Regionally, the UAE fares better than other GCC nations in terms of under age 5 mortality rate at 8 per 1,000 live births, according to WHO statistics.

During the birthing process, an infant’s body temperature drops quickly once outside the controlled environment of the mother's womb. Without the physiological mechanisms to fight off cold, the availability of warmth is the first line to survival for the newborn. The baby needs a device that can provide delicate warmth, emulating the mother's womb.

“Healthymagination is our new business strategy that seeks to help people live healthier lives, support customer success and stimulate growth for GE,” Eglinton Manner said.

“We invest in innovations that measurably reduce cost and improve access and quality of healthcare worldwide. That means we are committed to bringing to market high-tech and lower-cost products designed for specific local needs and process expertise to enable our customers to better serve more patients.'

'The Lullaby Warmer on display today at the congress is an example of a healthymagination product,” she added.-TradeArabia News Service