A new health innovation partnership aims to tap into local and international medical technology solutions and introduce them to SA's public health system.
The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), alongside international non-profit organisation Path, has launched the Global Health Innovation Accelerator (GHIA) in a bid to develop sustainable high-impact health technologies.
According to GHIA, it will attempt to connect scientific and technical expertise, funding and global partners to "fast-track the most promising technologies to address the health needs of low-resource communities".
Dr Tony Bunn, medical technology consultant at the SAMRC, says Path's representation in more than 40 countries will widen access to some of the world's leading healthcare innovations, which can be adapted for local conditions. "Once a technological solution has been identified as being appropriate for a developing country's health system, we will take it and re-engineer where necessary in order for it to be effective."
Some of GHIA's new solutions targeted at public healthcare facilities include mTriage - a mobile application assisting nurses to perform triage accurately and efficiently. The free smartphone app helps nurses ensure emergency patients are quickly screened and prioritised according to their medical conditions.
Bunn adds that effective triage is a "big bottleneck" in public healthcare facilities across SA, and the solution could go a long way in alleviating this problem. "There are also talks with US-based companies to bring technological solutions for non-invasive haemoglobin level measurements," he says.
Expanding tech's reach
The Department of Science and Technology, which helps drive the SAMRC's innovation efforts, has worked with health department officials in order to maximise the impact of innovations. The mTriage solution was implemented with the support of the Western Cape Department of Health at the Khayelitsha District Hospital.
Speaking at the launch event recently, DST director-general Phil Mjwara said the partnership with Path would help address challenges that prevent technologies from reaching global markets, while enabling health innovations to reach people who need them the most.
Meanwhile, Dr Glenda Gray, president of SAMRC, said the partnership is "deeply committed" to help find medical solutions that are game-changing, while finding "new ways to solve old problems".
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