Dear Carolina Oliveira,
Thank you once again for your thorough engagement, curiosity, and commitment to due diligence. These are exactly the kind of thoughtful questions that help refine and strengthen high-impact interventions, and I appreciate the opportunity to provide more clarity on the NeoVoltaic project and our collaboration with Tiny Hearts Technology.
NeoVoltaic is not officially fundraising on behalf of Tiny Hearts Technology. Rather, our project leverages their proven solution—Crib A’Glow phototherapy units—as a key component within a broader healthcare-energy access program we are implementing.
We are in active partnership discussions with Tiny Hearts to procure, deploy, and scale their technology in under-resourced primary health centers across Northern Nigeria, where power outages often render traditional phototherapy unusable. While Tiny Hearts is indeed receiving support directly for distribution, our role is contextual deployment, including:
Site assessments
Procurement through verified channels
Renewable energy integration
Training of healthcare workers
Monitoring and community engagement
This means NeoVoltaic complements, but does not duplicate, Tiny Hearts’ efforts. Our added value lies in reaching marginalized and energy-deficient areas, especially where solar integration is necessary for 24/7 functionality.
Clarifying the Impact Numbers
You're absolutely right to request clarity here, and I appreciate the opportunity to clarify both our projections and the context behind the numbers:
What We Stated:
“Save the lives of over 30,000 newborns annually by treating jaundice early.”
This is a forward-looking estimate based on:
Treating 500 newborns per year per device (based on current use data from hospitals using Crib A’Glow).
60 facilities × 500 = 30,000 newborns treated per year (not necessarily all at risk of dying, but at risk of complications or severe jaundice if left untreated).
This aligns with the assertion: "Every $50 saves a newborn", since the unit cost divided by expected beneficiaries supports this.
The 550+ figure quoted on Tiny Hearts’ website is likely a conservative direct estimate of lives saved (not just treated) based on cases that would have otherwise required exchange blood transfusion or resulted in fatality. However, over 550,000 newborns have been treated with the device since its inception (a much higher number). This is reflected in more recent publications and updates from the organization.
So to be clear: 30,000 newborns reached annually does not imply 30,000 lives saved directly. Rather, it represents at-risk infants who can be treated early and effectively due to access to functioning phototherapy, thus preventing complications, disabilities, or mortality.
We are currently working with clinical advisors to fine-tune these outcome metrics with evidence-backed conversion rates from treatment to lives saved. We’re also developing an impact dashboard to transparently communicate this distinction.
On Cost-Effectiveness and Value You're absolutely right that cost-effectiveness is key. Here's a quick summary:
Crib A’Glow unit cost: ~$360–400
Operational lifespan: 5–7 years
Patients treated annually per unit: 400–600
Cost per treated infant: $0.20–$0.30
Even if only 5–10% of those infants were at high risk of death or disability, the cost per life saved would remain extremely low and well-aligned with global benchmarks for cost-effective health interventions.
We are also preparing to:
Collect third-party validation of impact from facilities using the units
Track neonatal mortality reduction in each deployment site over time
Document case studies to support qualitative understanding
The NeoVoltaic Project is driven by urgency. Northern Nigeria has some of the highest neonatal mortality rates globally, much of it preventable. A significant number of these deaths are linked to untreated jaundice, and a lack of reliable power for medical equipment is a known bottleneck.
We are confident that by pairing proven technology with targeted training, solar energy, and community mobilization, this project will deliver sustainable, life-saving impact at scale.
Thank you again, Carolina Oliveira, for asking the right questions. We value your insights deeply, and we’re committed to transparency, effectiveness, and long-term results. I’d be happy to provide further documentation, cost breakdowns, or connect with Tiny Hearts’ leadership directly if needed.
Warm regards,
Tahir Mahmood Saleh
Programs Manager | CREACCNG.ORG
📧 tahirm@creaccng.org 🌍 www.creaccng.org
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/tahir-mahmood-saleh-354b24146/
@ollive