A systematic tool to assess sustainability of safe water provision in healthcare facilities in low-resource settings

31.08.2019
To achieve safe water for all (Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6), many healthcare facilities (HCF) will require onsite water treatment. This paper describes a systematic tool to assess the sustainability of safe water provision in HCFs.

Ensuring Mother and Child Health at the Hospital with Wash in Health Care Facilities: Focus on Autonomous Chlorine Production in Zambia

28.06.2018
Poster presented and awared with the first prize at 2018 International Tech4Dev Conference, EPFL Lausanne. Abstract: Hospital acquired infections (HAI) pose a significant threat to the health of patients and health care employees in developing countries. Limited resources are available for health facilities: It is estimated that 15% of patients in low-income countries develop one or more infections during a hospital stay, of which water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is a contributor (Allegranzi et al., 2011). Infections account for a third of the 3.6 million neonatal deaths each year and for 15% of maternal deaths (Lawn et al., 2010). In 2016 Ministry of Health and UNICEF started a pilot project in 55 Zambian health care facilities implementing basic WASH infrastructures including disinfectant production, waste management and hand washing to effectively prevent diseases. A specific focus was given to mother and child health to reduce burden of disease by autonomous production of sodium hypochlorite, using electrolysis to transform saline solution into disinfectant with WATA technology.

Evaluation of Membrane Ultrafiltration and Residual Chlorination as a Decentralized Water Treatment Strategy for Ten Rural Healthcare Facilities in Rwanda

26.03.2015
A study looking at operation of 10 water treatment systems including pre-filtration, membrane ultrafiltration, and chlorine residual disinfection in a rural health care facility in Rwanda.