In Brief

  • Challenge: UN SDG 3 Challenge
  • Challenge Type: SFI Future Innovator Prize
  • Status: Active
  • Phase: Runners up

The Challenge

Reducing childhood mortality through improved diagnosis of pneumonia 

The Solution 

Develop and implement sustainable solutions in the diagnosis and treatment of childhood infectious diseases such as childhood pneumonia. Using cellular networks and smartphone technology with AI supported clinical decision support systems, we will collect and correlate new patient datasets to improve diagnostic and real-time assessment of infants and young children in primary care. We are also developing inexpensive point of care tests using host response biomarkers that can be deployed to appropriately reduce prescription of antimicrobials and reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance.  

UN SDG Alignment

3.2 By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births.  

The Team

  • Team Lead: Dr Joe Gallagher, University College Dublin
  • Partner Country Team Lead: Dr Balwani Mbakaya, Mzuzu University
  • Team Co-Lead: Dr Chris Watson, Queen’s University Belfast and University College Dublin
  • Team Co-Lead: Dr Cathal Seoighe, University of Galway

Societal Impact Champion

  • Billy Wilson Nyambolo, Malawi Ministry of Health