Gates Foundation and Wellcome Leap Launched Uzima
The partners committed $100 million to a new initiative aimed at cutting global stillbirth rates in half.
Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Pregnancy
The Gates Foundation and Wellcome Leap have launched the Uzima program to address the global crisis of stillbirths. The initiative aims to reduce these rates by 50% over the next decade through technological innovation.
Why it matters
Stillbirth prevention has historically been an overlooked and underfunded area of maternal and newborn health research. This investment seeks to fill that gap by scaling diagnostic tools to help health workers identify complications.
The Uzima program launched with a $100 million commitment, split equally between the two organizations. Globally, a stillbirth occurs every 17 seconds, with approximately half of all cases concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa.
The players
Gates Foundation
This is a private foundation that focuses on global health, development, and education initiatives.
Wellcome Leap
This organization funds and executes large-scale research projects aimed at solving complex global health challenges.
The details
The program focuses on identifying, validating, and scaling tools such as AI-enabled ultrasound devices to improve detection. Participating nations will collaborate to integrate these innovations into their existing health systems.
Timeline
October 12, 2026: The Uzima initiative was officially announced.
Early 2027: The program expects to identify an initial package of innovations.
Next 3 years: The program will identify and validate promising innovation candidates.
Next decade: The target timeframe for reducing global stillbirth rates by half.
Culture Shift
The Uzima program aligns with long-standing international efforts to improve maternal health outcomes globally. It marks a shift toward specialized, technology-driven interventions rather than traditional broad-based healthcare investments.
This program will prioritize integration into existing health systems in participating countries to improve local diagnostic capabilities. For families in these regions, this means increased access to advanced screening tools that can detect complications earlier.
The takeaway
The Uzima initiative highlights the critical role that specific diagnostic technologies like AI-enabled ultrasound play in modern prenatal care. Prioritizing these tools can lead to significant improvements in clinical outcomes for mothers and infants globally.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest research and global health strategies at Pregnancy.
