Mar 14, 2019

New Philips Lumify Pregnancy 2km Walk in Kenya aims to support the elimination of preventable maternal and infant deaths

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The Philips Lumify ultrasound used to carry out screenings at the fun walk

On the occasion of the fourth edition of the Beyond Zero Half Marathon in Nairobi Kenya on Sunday 10 March 2019, Philips Kenya in collaboration with the Beyond Zero platform introduced a new segment to the established race – the Philips Lumify Pregnancy 2km Walk. This addition was introduced in support of the ambition of the Beyond Zero initiative, and its shared goal to eliminate preventable maternal and infant deaths.

Alongside the half marathon geared at raising funds in support of Beyond Zero, about 350 women in their first and second trimesters participated in the inaugural Philips Lumify Pregnancy 2km Walk.

Kenya has one of the highest maternal and child mortality rates in the world, with 510 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births [1] and 49 child deaths per 1,000 live births [2]. The Philips Lumify Pregnancy Walk aims to take the conversation and motivation of the Beyond Zero initiative a step further by getting the lives it sets out to save involved – not only in the walk, but also in the healthy development of their babies.

During this first edition, the Philips Lumify ultrasound was used to carry out screenings at the fun walk, by bringing technology that will otherwise only be available at formal hospitals and clinics to the participants. This means that the mothers-to-be were able to see high-quality images of their unborn babies on a smartphone, thanks to the mobile app and portable ultrasound. For most of the expectant mothers, this screening was their first ever opportunity to have an ultrasound scan.

As a health technology company dedicated to creating the future of healthcare, we are driven to help solve the world’s toughest clinical challenges through meaningful innovation.

Jasper Westerink

CEO, Philips Africa

“As a health technology company dedicated to creating the future of healthcare, we are driven to help solve the world’s toughest clinical challenges through meaningful innovation,” says Jasper Westerink, CEO, Philips Africa. “Our new app-based ultra-mobile, ultrasound system - Lumify was launched for the first time in Africa and used at the Beyond Zero Medical Safari in September 2018. These pre-natal screenings ensured that major complications could be detected in advance of labour allowing for the best chance for early intervention to save the lives of Kenya’s most vulnerable; we are pleased to bring this same power to the women participating here in Nairobi.”

Although many deaths can be prevented with basic imaging technology, women across Africa often die due to avoidable complications during child birth, as they have no access to healthcare technologies to detect critical conditions. This highlights the importance of initiatives such as Beyond Zero and the Philips Lumify Pregnancy 2km Walk aimed at educating women about healthy pregnancy and childbirth, and give them access to technology that can potentially save their own lives and the lives of their babies.