Global Health Design Collaboration

Backpack for Health Care Workers:

Healthcare worker with a CWRU-designed backpack
Healthcare workers deliver medical care to remote rural populations in Uganda.  Workers travel on long journeys often by motorcycle and foot to deliver a variety of medical services including administering vaccinations, administering pre-natal care, and providing supplies such as mosquito netting and vitamins. In addition to large vaccine carriers containers, the healthcare workers also have to carry other necessary equipment, such as log book, syringes, baby scales and sharp boxes as well as food and water for the journey. Our team is designing a comfortable, versatile backpack for health care workers that accommodates their needs.

Vaccine Carrier Design:

student_demonstrates_vaccine_carrier_prototype to health_care_workers
Approximately 2 million deaths occurred in 2010 as a result of vaccine-preventable diseases. Government immunization campaigns rely on resources of Health Clinics to maintain cold chain. Healthcare workers in rural parts of Uganda transport vaccines from central care facility to villages either on foot or via motorcycle. The vaccines are stored in large containers to accommodate for the size and number of vials required for each trip. Our team is working on an efficient, affordable Vaccine Carrier for rural Ugandan Health Care workers.

Pediatric Pulse Oximetry:

Pulse oximeter presentation

A pulse oximeter is a device that outputs a non-invasive measurement of oxygen saturation, which is derived from the amount of hemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin in the blood. Our product is a diagnostic reusable pediatric pulse oximeter. This device is intended for use by health care workers and parents in low-income countries to detect hypoxemia (a low concentration of arterial oxygen supply), which is a risk factor for pneumonia, a leading cause of mortality for children under the age of 5.


Medical Waste Disposal:

Medical waste disposal

When our travel team visited Uganda, workers at the various health centers all expressed that waste disposal was an issue. Because Uganda does not have a centralized waste disposal system, each clinic has their own mechanism for disposing of medical waste. Members of the medical waste disposal team seek to find efficient, effect, low cost ways to help with medical waste disposal.


DMPA-SC:

Sayana_press_team_in_front_of_poster
DMPA-SC is an easy-to-use hormonal birth control option for women. A woman can inject herself with this product at home or with the help of a friend or family member. Our team is working on a safe, discrete method for disposal of the used birth control device.

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