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Issue According to the World Health Organization, the incidence of post-operative infection in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has been documented at 15.5 per 100 patients, significantly higher than European and U.S. averages. Neonatal infection rates are 3 to 20 times higher than in industrialized nations. Up to two-thirds of patients who undergo operations in LMICs are affected by surgical site infections. Preventing post-operative infections through the proper sterilization of instruments is a challenge…Solution In Madagascar, Sterile Processing Education Charitable Trust (SPECT), in collaboration with Mercy Ships Canada and Mercy Ships International, introduced an innovative, low-cost method to sterilize medical devices for hospitals and clinics lacking the capacity to sterilize. This method, referred to as the ‘Sterilizer,’ included a multi-compartment instrument basket and pressure cooker. A non-electrical heating source…

Issue The burden of urinary tract disease extends from local bladder pathology to renal failure, stroke, hypertension and early death. In Uganda, a significant number of people experience chronic problems or die from these diseases. Resources to investigate or treat urinary tract pathologies are limited in low- and middle- income countries, and bladder disease commonly goes unrecognized until major problems develop. Inexpensive optical devices (similar to oximeters already in use) can now be used to screen for early signs of bladder outlet obstruction and identify where those affected can benefit from effective and widely available  treatment. Solution The objective of this project was to develop…

…as fever and enlarged spleen, combined with a positive rK39 serological test. Development of a simple assay that can determine Leishmania levels in the blood is urgently needed for VL diagnosis, monitoring, treatment and  to determine which asymptomatic-infected individuals can transmit or develop disease. Solution The project aimed to develop a diagnostic test that could detect Leishmania parasites in the blood. Based on the assumption that Leishmania proteins that are highly abundant would be easier to detect…

Issue There are over 6,000 neglected diseases (ND) without adequate treatments, many of which are endemic to the developing world. The incentive to develop drugs to treat these diseases is limited because the target populations cannot afford the cost of treatment. One possible approach to these and other diseases is to use a computer model to identify new indications for existing drugs, as this can significantly reduce development time and cost. Solution The first stage of this project – to identify new indications for existing drugs – involved expanding an existing computer model…

With Grand Challenges Canada’s support, Access Afya will expand its chain of low-cost, quality-assured micro-clinics and field-based health programs in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya.Access Afya has already reached more than 10,000 low-income patients through two microclinics and health programs in Mukuru, Nairobi’s third largest slum. The additional funding will help open two new clinics and expand health programs, extending reliable health services to an estimated 15,000 new patients.Access Afya’s neighborhood micro-clinics provide a wide range of quality healthcare products and services to the poorest of the poor.The affordable, high quality primary healthcare includes pediatric care…just the number of people they serve but also if sick patients get better, or if women are satisfied with their family planning choices.The micro-clinics act as anchors for Access Afya’s Healthy Schools and Healthy Factories programs, which offer proactive health services and education at nearby schools and workplaces in the community, such as regular deworming for students…

A partnership between WelTel and African Medical Research Foundation (AMREF), with the support of Grand Challenges Canada, has secured a $2 million investment to improve HIV patient care and expand the mobile health (mHealth) program across rural Kenya.$1 million is coming from AMREF’s APHIAplus IMARISHA program; a five-year, USAID-funded project to transform the health status…Global Health” program. WelTel was able to demonstrate proof-of-concept and transformative potential, allowing them to move to the next phase, called “Phase II Transition to Scale”.The basis for the WelTel mHealth program came from a clinical study conducted by Dr. Richard Lester, scientific director of WelTel and faculty in the Department of Medicine at the…Nairobi, Dr. Lester found that a simple “how are you?” text, sent weekly to patients on anti-viral therapy for HIV allowed nurses to easily manage and follow up with a large number of patients. Patients in turn reported better support and were 12% more likely to stay on their drug therapy, which in turn led to a 9% increase in patients with full viral suppression.“This was one of the first trials that demonstrated improved HIV treatment behaviours”, says Dr. Lester. ”Given the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in Africa, almost 30 million, these small but significant changes can be amplified to massive impact if brought to scale”.

SOIL Haiti will build and install safe and hygienic toilet facilities for up to 6,000 people in Haiti’s vulnerable urban settlements, thanks to new funding from Grand Challenges Canada and partners.What makes SOIL innovative is the ecological way that it eliminates waste. SOIL collects and transports waste from its “EkoLakay” toilets to a local composting …

Issue High maternal mortality exists in low-income countries, resulting from delays in accessing appropriate healthcare due to financial barriers. The problem is particularly acute in the Philippines where the maternal mortality rate was higher in 2012 than in 2009. Solution The project aimed to design and develop health insurance products for low-income women in Marikina City, to enable them to access life-saving maternal healthcare services and reduce the risk of maternal death. Three health insurance products were initially…in two districts in Marikina City. Both products have a savings component and a waiting period of about six years before the funds can be accessed. Focus group discussions led to a recommendation that additional reproductive healthcare benefits be included in the package and that the premiums be paid in installments. Outcome The three health…

…and mortality in resource-poor settings. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes newborn thermal care as a critical and essential component of essential newborn care; however, hypothermia continues to remain under-documented, under-recognized and under-managed. Solution The BEMPU Hypothermia Bracelet monitors a newborn’s temperature continuously. If hypothermia develops, the device sounds an alarm, alerting the parent to…a specific temperature-monitoring, wearable, clinical prototype device. Data from this and other research, as well as the available clinical literature, were processed to create an accurate algorithm for early detection of mild hypothermia (also known as cold stress) with newborns. A safe, functional and appealing physical version of the prototype was created using hypoallergenic medical-grade…

…of MDR-TB cases in the Americas: almost 16% of TB patients have primary resistance and previously treated cases reach 23%. Poor housing conditions and overcrowded rooms contribute to the spread of TB, and environmental measures are key elements in TB control. Solution The objective of the project was to develop a novel UV light device for indoor use, powered by solar energy, which could purify air sustainably and be used in low-resource communities with high TB prevalence. The project developed a prototype UV…reflecting plate. Each UV LED gives a 400 nm light spectrum, in the range of medical UV lights. The plate was made of stainless steel, in concave design, to reduce the risk of non-intentional exposure. Microbiological testing for clearance was performed with certified Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra (ATCC® 25177 ™) strains (MTB strains). For each set…