Broad Agency Announcements: A New Approach to Solving Global Health Challenges

The USAID Health Research Program is committed to finding innovative solutions to global health challenges, especially those facing women, newborns, and children. 

Possible serious bacterial infections (PSBI), or sepsis, accounts for 23 percent of newborn deaths in low and middle income countries.^1,2  The “gold standard” treatment – hospitalization and 7-10 days of injectable antibiotics  –  is often not feasible in low resource settings. In 2007, the Health Research Program and partners convened a global consultation  to review evidence on home-based therapies for PSBI treatment. Experts determined there was insufficient evidence to recommend home-based treatment and that further research was needed.