Infectious Disease

HOPE Worldwide Kenya (HOPE) incorporates and integrates these findings in following three components of sexual health interventions: 1) HIV/STI prevention messaging through “Shuga” video-based intervention sessions; 2) Gender and life-skills programming provided through trained peer-leaders in small groups called “sister walks”; 3) Vocational and entrepreneurial skills training and job placement support.

Parisodhana has developed a unique face mask to meet the needs for PPE by the general public. The SHG-95 face masks are produced using locally sourced cotton and filtration media. The masks are meant for use by the general public to control community spread of COVID-19 and provide individual protection comparable to an N95 respirator.

Yaws is a neglected tropical disease, considered a disease of poverty caused by Treponema pallidum subsp. Pertenue (TPE). It affects people living in very deprived hard to reach rural communities. The true global burden of yaws is unfortunately still unknown and although there are 99 countries and territories that are known to be endemic for yaws, only 15 of those countries and territories have reported recent data on yaws. Infection with yaws, if untreated could lead to gross deformities and disabilities.

MAM@Scale brings rectal artesunate (RAS) to remote regions in Zambia, providing children under-six with immediate pre-referral intervention for severe malaria at the community level.

HappyTap is a product-driven behavior change innovation aimed at eliminating the transmission of bacteria borne illnesses in children under 5. It is the only commercial indoor and outdoor portable sink for children specifically designed for low resource settings lacking adequate infrastructure for a fixed sink or handwashing station. Employing principles of human centered design, HappyTap is both functional and aesthetically appealing. It is composed of a refillable 15 liter water storage tank1, slow-flow tap and soap storage area with brightly colored and engaging images.

Aviro Med Design Pty Ltd (Aviro Health) is a South African for-profit company that designs digital content and mobile solutions to improve patient experiences in healthcare. The innovation, Ithaka, is a mobile tool (web, WhatsApp, or online/offline mobile phone application) that provides patients with information and tools to make HIV self-tests(HIVST) easier to use and helps link patients back to care.

Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia or “snail fever” is a parasitic disease that affects men, women and children living in tropical regions. Disease transmission occurs through contact with freshwater during regular daily activities (washing, bathing, gathering water, swimming) putting adults, adolescents and children at continuous risk of infection. The parasite lives in the blood vessels in the pelvis and lays eggs that get stuck to the urinary and genital tract causing blood in the urine as well as severe bladder, kidney, and genital damage.

The Drop-TB program aims to expand the reach of TB testing in pregnancy by creating a system where DBS samples are collected from women at their local healthcare clinics instead of at national-level TB diagnostic centers where visits can require substantial travel and cost. A DBS is collected from a pregnant woman with suspected TB using a finger prick blood sample4 (cover photo) and transported to a central TB testing facility and analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)5.

In 2015, there were approximately 212 million malaria cases and an estimated 429,000 malaria deaths globally. The sub-Saharan region experienced around 92% of these deaths. Mortality is concentrated around several high-risk groups, including pregnant women and infants. According to the WHO, in Africa, 30 million women living in malaria-endemic areas become pregnant each year. Up to 200,000 newborn deaths each year result from malaria in pregnancy. Diagnosis of malaria in pregnancy is limited by poor sensitivity of existing methods like microscopy. Malaria, particularly due to P.

WelTel is a digital health service that provides virtual care and patient engagement by remotely connecting patients with the healthcare system. Patients send an SMS to WelTel, which then captures data and uses natural language processing and predictive algorithms to send tailored responses and reminders. WelTel has integrated dashboard features that support scheduling appointments and setting reminders, broadcasting phone video or public health messages or pushing existing web-services and information, all on a secure patient-portal that can track symptoms.