Innovation for Sustainable Development Award

The Commonwealth Secretary-General s Innovation for Sustainable Development Awards 2019 was awarded to Indian engineer Nitesh Kumar Jangir. Nitesh Kumar Jangir was awarded for the development of Saans, a low-cost breathing support device for premature babies.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General s Innovation for Sustainable Development Awards are awarded based on the impact or potential of the innovations to advance one or more of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in Commonwealth countries.

The awards are divided along five thematic categories viz. improving the lives of People; boosting prosperity; protecting the planet, promoting peace; and building partnerships for development in the Commonwealth.

Saans

Saana is world’s first neonatal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device which can be powered in multiple ways viz. through direct source electricity, including a vehicle’s electrical supply, a rechargeable battery, compressed gas, or even manual air pumping.

This low-cost device is of great help to tackle the situation of erratic power supply conditions. The device is at least three times cheaper than any other such machine and can be used without any complex training.