CHAMPS Bulletin: Updates from our network & more

2026-06-01T08:00:17-04:00

Network Highlights - June 2026

INSIGHTS THAT OUR METHODOLOGY REVEALS

Welcome to the CHAMPS Newsletter! We’re excited to bring you the latest insights, stories, and updates from the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) network. Each edition will feature inspiring community stories, important research findings, and highlights from our innovative approach to generating and sharing knowledge on causes of stillbirths and child deaths in Africa and South Asia. Whether you’re a partner, supporter, or public health leader, this newsletter will keep you connected to our mission and progress. Thank you for joining us as we work together toward a future where every child thrives. - Cynthia Whitney, Program Director and Principal Investigator

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CHAMPS Achievements Highlight Global Impact and Recognition

Congratulations to Professor Shabir Madhi from the University of Witwatersrand on his receipt of the prestigious Robert Austrian Prize at the 14th Meeting of the International Society of Pneumonia and Pneumococcal Diseases (ISPPD-14) in Copenhagen (May 17–21, 2026). Prof. Madhi, Site Director for CHAMPS South Africa, received the award for his many career accomplishments related to studying and preventing pneumonia and pneumococcal disease. Several members of the CHAMPS Team presented findings at the conference. These presentations highlighted how pneumonia is still a leading cause of death among infants and children in high-mortality settings in Africa and South Asia and how a large burden of pneumonia mortality is from Klebsiella pneumoniae, a hospital-acquired infection that causes sepsis and pneumonia and is resistant to most first-line antibiotics. The data also show that Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) remains a leading cause of pneumonia deaths; a pilot study of the specific pneumococcal types shows that vaccines are effectively preventing infections with the more aggressive vaccine-type strains, with remaining disease largely due to other types.

Professor Shabir Madhi receiving his Robert Austrian Award from Professor Keith Klugman of the Gates Foundation and Cynthia Whitney, ISPPD President and CHAMPS PI

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Stay Tuned! - CHAMPS Prevention Stories Coming Soon!

We are proud to announce the launch of our upcoming recurring Prevention Stories series, a cornerstone of our strategic effort to leverage definitive child mortality intelligence for global change. These stories will move beyond the disease-specific data that CHAMPS provides. By revealing the moments where intervention could have altered a child's journey and the effect a child’s death had on their family, we will generate significant insights from the deaths we have enrolled.

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FROM CHAMPS SITES

Kenyan children are dying in a malaria diagnostic blind spot

In regions of Kenya with a high malaria burden, the lack of adequate diagnostic tools and an overwhelming focus on malaria mean that clinicians often overlook the true threats to child health. In a compelling article published by Defrontera, Dr Hellen Mutai, the CHAMPS Kenya Site Director, reveals important findings. When post-mortems were conducted on nearly 700 children who died between 2018 and 2024, researchers discovered that, although some children tested positive for malaria, their actual causes of death included other conditions: malnutrition (28%), blood infection such as sepsis (18%), HIV (8%), and pneumonia (6%). These findings from our program highlight the urgent need for a broader approach to child healthcare in these regions.

New Leadership at Quelimane Central Hospital Reaffirms CISM Partnership

The Manhiça Health Research Centre (CISM) and Quelimane Central Hospital (HCQ) are entering a "new chapter" of scientific cooperation following a visit from HCQ’s new General Manager, Ornelos Madeira. At the heart of this alliance is the CHAMPS program, a vital initiative that has been identifying the underlying causes of child mortality in the region since 2018.

Empowering the Future of Global Health with AI

CHAMPS Bangladesh is leading the charge in medical innovation by bringing Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy to the frontlines of healthcare. In a landmark collaboration with Faridpur Medical College (FMC), the team recently hosted an integrated teaching session for nearly 400 faculty members and students, exploring how AI can transform medical education and research in lower-middle-income countries.

Latest Publications

Making sense of the unexpected: neural tube defects in Ethiopia

A recent CHAMPS study published in Discover Social Science and Health highlights a major challenge for global health efforts: the gap between what scientists agree on and how communities in eastern Ethiopia view Neural Tube Defects (NTDs). Although clinical data show that taking folic acid around conception is effective, rural communities with high rates of NTDs often see these serious conditions differently. They may view them as "God’s will," the result of environmental dangers, or as moral punishments. The study finds that pregnant women in low-income areas are blamed from two sides: they are blamed both by healthcare systems for not planning pregnancies or taking supplements and by their communities for birth defects. Major structural barriers, like limited access to family planning and nutritious food, make it difficult to follow clinical advice.

Showing which infections are causing deaths in African and South Asian newborns

A multi-country study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases is shifting how we understand newborn mortality in low- and middle-income countries. Drawing on data from the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) network, researchers investigated 2,609 neonatal deaths across seven countries in Africa and South Asia using advanced post-mortem tissue sampling. The findings revealed that infections were implicated at any point in the causal pathway in 44% of all neonatal deaths. Crucially, the study notes that over 80% of these infectious deaths could have been averted under current or improved conditions at healthcare facilities.

Announcements

New Resource Alert: CHAMPS Case Study Gallery

We've expanded our Knowledge Repository on the CHAMPS website with a dedicated series of case studies. This new collection bridges the gap between high-level surveillance data and frontline healthcare delivery. Each study provides a deep dive into specific causes of mortality, the investigative process using MITS, and the resulting public health implications for local ministries of health. Stay informed on the latest evidence-based interventions being deployed across our seven global sites.

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CHAMPS Bulletin: Updates from our network & more