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Issue In Tanzania, arboviruses (e.g., dengue and chikungunya virus) contribute greatly to malaria misdiagnosis and subsequent overtreatment, due to lack of diagnostic resources and skills among health professionals. The rate of misdiagnosis of arboviral infections being malaria can be as high as 45%, reinforcing the need for increased awareness of the distribution of competing vectors in order to facilitate optimal management of malaria and arboviruses. Solution The proof of concept the team sought to…of malaria or arboviruses. The team also sought to develop a prototype mobile phone-based interactive diagnostic tool of febrile illness for health workers that would include automatically updated local estimates of relative transmission risk of malarial and arboviral infections. Outcome The pre- and post-intervention malaria risk maps were developed using GLMM (general linear mixed models).…

Backed with a blend of private and Government of Canada investments catalyzed by Grand Challenges Canada, Toronto-based company LegWorks will contribute to a better life for amputees in developing countries.LegWorks will mass produce its innovative, affordable prosthetic knee, the All-Terrain Knee (AT-Knee), the functionality and durability of which makes it ideal for amputees living in …high-functioning, durable, affordable prosthetic knee joint developed at Toronto’s Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. It enables lower-limb amputees to walk more efficiently, safely and comfortably. Its patented design provides incredible stability, is easy to fit and maintain, and can even be used in harsh environments, including water.In trials, early users in 10 countries reported a…to be sold via distributors, NGOs, prosthetic clinics and government rehab facilities, in both high-income countries and the developing world.Introduction of the innovative device will be scaled up and taken to market this summer. The $2 million investment deal includes a loan via Grand Challenges Canada of up to $1 million (of which $405,000 has…

Issue Girls and women in low-resource settings face many challenges related to their personal hygiene and sexual health needs. Commercial hygiene products are difficult to access and it is widely reported that many girls resort to high-risk sexual behaviour in order to purchase sanitary pads. Those that do have access to disposable sanitary products are further challenged with limited disposal options, as toilets are rarely available. Although re-usable menstrual cups are on the market, they require extensive washing to avoid contamination, something that is not feasible in many homesteads in low-resource settings. Solution The project team developed…developed with which to produce menstrual cups (Ruby Cup). Where water is in short supply to properly wash the cup, this material enhancement improves personal health safety for the end user. They have also redesigned the cervical cap (Ruby Cap), designed to provide a physical barrier for the cervix against sperm and viruses, and turned it into a dual-function menstrual cup/cervical cap…

Issue More than 9,000 infants die in Bangladesh every year due to suboptimal breastfeeding practices. Mothers working in ready-made garment (RMG) factories in Bangladesh have inadequate access to facilities that allow them to continue breastfeeding and, as a result, their children receive inadequate complementary feeds, leading to malnutrition. Solution The objective of the project was to provide garment factory workers with supportive technologies (such as a breast pump and pasteurization device) to encourage breastfeeding and also to assess whether the pasteurization device could increase the shelf life of breast…hours. Studies also showed that pasteurization did not have a major impact on nutrients and immune components, with the exception of immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels, which were significantly reduced in pasteurized milk. To assess the direct impact of installing the breast milk-supportive technologies, the team conducted monthly follow-up surveys of enrolled mothers. The team found that pumping breast milk increased breast milk production within a week for all mothers (mean increase from 75 to 165 ml). Mean breast milk feeding frequency increased for mothers with younger children (from 5.4 to 7.4 times) but not…

Issue HIV is continuing to spread among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Ghana because stigma remains a barrier to the uptake of clinic-based prevention services. Solution The project was implemented in Ghana to determine the feasibility of adapting social/sexual networks of MSM to accommodate a Kumasi & Accra Project to Prevent AIDS …in existing networks to link MSM to nurses and physicians who will be able to provide clinical support, and to supplement biomedical interventions with behavioural interventions that promote sexual risk reduction. The project conducted in-depth ethnographic work, including interviews, focus groups and social observation designed to understand MSM experiences of homophobia in the health system, and their willingness to allow their networks to be utilized for intervention delivery. They also interviewed nurses and physicians to assess their willingness to provide clinical care to MSM and barriers in medical practice. Outcome Results showed that…

…common cause of adult meningitis in many parts of Africa, where Cryptococcosis now rivals tuberculosis in all-cause mortality in HIV-infected adults. In many settings, standard induction therapy for Cryptococcus includes amphotericin B for up to 14 days, combined with high-dose fluconazole, alongside aggressive in-patient management of raised pressure around the brain. Adhering to accepted guidelines for treating Cryptococcal meningitis in resource-limited areas…added to standard amphotericin-based therapy for Cryptococcal meningitis. In addition to standard induction therapy for Cryptococcal meningitis, subjects received increasing doses of sertraline in a dose-escalation study design. The first subjects enrolled received 100 mg/day of sertraline. This dose was then sequentially increased by 100 mg/day up to a maximum of 400 mg daily for…

Menstrual health is central to each woman’s ability to lead lives of dignity and well-being in every part of the world. Yet, lack of access to affordable feminine hygiene products is a widely overlooked issue, which has a profound and cascading negative impact on the health, education and productivity of millions of girls and women,…In a region where over 40% of females are under the age of 15, this is a rapidly escalating problem. A school girl without pads can miss up to six weeks of schooling every year and be inattentive in class, increasing her likelihood of dropping out and harming her chances to become a full and…way of in-person adolescent health education programs. ZanaAfrica Group, a hybrid social enterprise based in Nairobi, Kenya, solves this problem through incorporating fun, interactive comics in pad packages for girls. Tested for behaviour change and health outcomes, all products are developed with girls using human-centered design. In this way they meet the demand for affordable, accessible and aspirational sanitary pad products, along with menstrual health education for girls. With a Phase II Grand Challenges…