By Celestine Okorie, Bureau Chief, Southern Africa

A digital health company transforming care with portable, semiconductor-based ultrasound technology and intuitive software, Butterfly Network, Inc., has announced a tripartite collaboration with implementing partner Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) (a global health organization committed to saving lives, reducing the burden of disease and strengthening health systems), and training partner Global Ultrasound Institute (GUSI) (a global leader in ultrasound education).

 As of today, the organizations have initiated Phase Two of Butterfly’s 1,000 iQ+ probe deployment and point-of-care ultrasound training programme for maternal and fetal health in Sub-Saharan Africa. The programme is funded by the US$5M grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that was previously announced by Butterfly in March 2022 and is part of the Gates Foundation’s efforts to ensure more women receive ultrasounds and benefit from life-saving diagnostic tools. In Phase One, 500 iQ+ handheld, whole-body probes were successfully distributed across Kenya in Q4 2022.

Phase Two of the programme, titled Siyakubona (meaning “we see you” in Zulu), will distribute the remaining 500 iQ+ devices to healthcare workers across up to six provinces in South Africa. The device distribution and training efforts began today in the first province, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Here, approximately 50 mid-level practitioners have been enrolled in a week-long training programme facilitated by GUSI. The course will provide health workers with the skills and confidence to conduct obstetric ultrasound screenings for key indicators, such as baby’s position or presence of multiples, that are fundamental to quality pregnancy care, as well as for identifying high-risk conditions.

“Butterfly is proud to continue improving maternal health equity through Phase Two of the largest-scale handheld ultrasound distribution and training ever conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa. South Africa is an emerging market that continues to have disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality and stillbirth. Patients need easier access to antenatal imaging, and clinicians need better capabilities for screening high-risk conditions that lead to disproportionately worse pregnancy outcomes in rural areas in the public sector,” said Sr. Director, Global Health, Butterfly Network Dr. Sachita Shah. “Together with CHAI and GUSI, we can tackle this by making ultrasound much more accessible, so high-risk conditions can be identified earlier in care, which is known to improve outcomes.”

Co-Founder and CEO of Global Ultrasound Institute, Dr. Kevin Bergman added, “We are thrilled to continue collaborating with Butterfly through Phase Two of this initiative. We know this device distribution and training model works – Phase One efforts in Kenya are proving to be an incredible success; over 500 providers were trained and are now offering ultrasound services across 224 Kenyan public facilities. More than 200,000 scans have since been conducted! We expect to see this impact replicated in South Africa, by similarly providing health workers with the equipment, in depth training, and necessary skills to use Butterfly for antenatal screening, which they will bring back to their communities to create long-term, sustainable care.”

“This partnership and training programme represents a significant step forward in our efforts to improve maternal and fetal health in South Africa,” said  Senior Country Advisor at CHAI Vishal Brijlal. “With access to innovative technologies such as the Butterfly iQ+, we can enhance diagnostic capabilities and strengthen healthcare delivery systems, ultimately helping save the lives of mothers and babies, and build healthier communities. We look forward to working closely with Butterfly Network and the Global Ultrasound Institute to achieve our shared goal of advancing global health equity.”

The programme is also made possible by key logistical partners, including Core Group, a leading distributor of Apple products in Sub-Saharan Africa; JAMF, the standard in Apple Enterprise Management and privacy software; Melon Mobile, digital mobile virtual network operator; and Zebra Medical, the South African distribution partner for Butterfly devices.