A Partnership for Accelerated Global Health Innovation

Accelovate is a five-year, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded global program awarded to Jhpiego and partners: the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Center for Bioengineering Innovation and Design, the JHU Center for Global Health, and Population Services International. Accelovates main objective is to advance promising health solutions to largescale use as quickly and efficiently as possible through an open innovation partnership among key stakeholders.

The goal of Accelovate is TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE in global health.

Accelovate is a product of USAIDs new strategy for accelerating reductions in mortality and morbidity. This new strategy focuses on overcoming technical, policy- and supply-related barriers that often prevent or delay implementation of lifesaving technologies in developing countries. Drawing from expertise of multiple program partners from the medical, clinical, public health, programmatic, engineering, and marketing fields, Accelovates approach is specifically designed to address those barriers at several points along the traditional research-to-use continuum.

Why Accelovate?

Acceolvates Innovation Model

Accelovates Model for Efficient Innovation of Lifesaving Technologies

Accelovate begins with the end in mind: solving a local human need. This approach recognizes that efficient innovation at the bench (e.g., in a lab) begins not with new technologies, but with a deep understanding of the health needs identified at the bedside in facilities or the community. Accelovates bedside-to-bench-tobedside philosophy is based on the notion that new solutions can achieve adequate coverage and lasting success only when the full cycle of innovationfrom needs identification and assessment to

implementation at scaleis driven by local needs and supported by local innovation, capacity, and infrastructure. A key component of Accelovates model, illustrated graphically on the previous page, is the emphasis at each stage on partnerships, collaborative development, and synthesis of full solutions from the ideas of multiple partners. The spiral model reflects how traps in traditional linear models can be avoided. The model also shows that a continuous updating of the most thorough understanding of the organizational, technical, clinical, and commercial factors surrounding the innovation process is essential. As reflected in the model, Accelovate recognizes that innovation involves simultaneous development of both the solution and the understanding of the need and context in an iterative manner. In this way, concepts considered early in the innovation process may be refined consequent to the application of the iterative process. Although the Accelovate Program is still new, several exciting health solutions are already advancing along the innovation development pathway. The Accelovate team is working on bringing health solutions in pre-eclampsia/eclampsia screening (PE/E-S) and management (PE/E-M) and in management of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) to maturity and application. Solutions being examined include proteinuria testing and blood pressure monitoring for PE/E-S; effective application and scale-up of magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) and anti-hypertensives for PE/E-M; and wider use of misoprostol, oxytocin, blood, and blood products for PPH management. In the first year, Accelovate completed landscape analyses and market assessments in these areas, and developed frameworks for integrating product development and global health implementation activities. In its second year, the program will work in collaboration with global partners to implement a revised dosage regimen and supply, and improve appropriate use of MgSO4, to extend supply channels for oxytocin through existing national and sub-national cold chains and increased availability of high-quality misoprostol. In association with the Programs for Vulnerable Key criteria for selecting health solutions Populations (formerly the Special Programs to Address the pursued by Accelovate: Needs of Survivors [SPANS]) of the Center of Excellence on Driven by local needs rather than Democracy, Human Rights and Governance (DRG Center), technology push Accelovate will examine the factors that support successful Appropriate (acceptable, affordable, and sustainable wheelchair service delivery in low-resource accessible) and sustainable for use in countries. More specifically, Accelovate will work with key lowest-resource settings stakeholders at international and field levels to determine Quickly developed, produced, and the impact of varying levels of service that are provided in marketed conjunction with the wheelchair. This vital research will Potential for high impact on reducing drive efforts at providing wheelchairs in a way that goes morbidity and mortality in target beyond the product and focuses on key elements of service populations provision. A core underpinning of Accelovate is to establish early local involvement and ownership of the innovation process in targeted settings through fostering local champions, developing active partnerships, and mentoring relationships in developing countries.

Achievements and Plans

Be Accelovates eyes and ears in your day-to-day work. If you are aware of an innovative solution in the areas that Accelovate might assist in bringing to fruition (listed below), or if you have an innovative proposal to resolve health issues in these areas, contact Hans Vemer (hvemer@jhpiego.net). Areas: Pre-eclampsia/eclampsia screening (PE/E-S) Pre-eclampsia/eclampsia management (PE/E-M) Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) Wheelchair service delivery

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