Bringing Lifesaving Respiratory Care Closer to Newborns

Complications related to prematurity and respiratory distress are among the leading causes of newborn mortality in low- and middle-income countries, yet access to lifesaving respiratory support remains limited. This brief highlights the potential of the Vayu Bubble CPAP (bCPAP), a low-cost, easy-to-use respiratory support device designed for low-resource settings that operates without electricity or compressed air. Through the Saving Women and Preterm Babies (SWAP) project, Save the Children supported the introduction of Vayu bCPAP in Uganda and Bangladesh as part of broader efforts to strengthen care for small and sick newborns. The brief outlines key lessons from implementation and the opportunity for further scale-up to help accelerate progress in newborn survival.