Back in mid-April Grameen Health in conjunction with the 6th Annual World Health Care Congress put out a request for a poster session on extremely affordable global health solutions: “The poster Session will promote such innovations that seek to meet demands for low-cost, high-quality health care through a bottom-up understanding of unmet health needs and display a culture for continuous, incremental improvement of existing services to meet needs better… This session is intended as a platform for extremely affordable solutions in health care delivery using innovative enabling technologies and business models.” Abstracts were judged by their innovative approaches, focused objectives and outcomes, and measurable results. What is considerable affordable I don’t know – also keep in mind you can’t do apples to apples comparisons on the below (some are system level innovations and others are point of care innovations). The system level innovations include CFW Shops, Aravind and the point of care ones include low cost ventilators, infusion pumps, needle free immunizations, infant incubators, urine based tests for malaria and many more. Listed below are all 42 abstracts (click on “View Abstract” to get more info). Many of these submitted entries are from well known organizations, but there are also some that are much less well known. This list is great as a starting point, however it is a real shame the cost structure of these submissions is not included in the abstract.

1. Mobile Solutions for Nutrition Monitoring, Sean Blaschke, Columbia University View Abstract
2. A Chlorhexidine Product for Umbilical Cord Care, Mutsumi Metzle, PATH View Abstract
3. LifeSpring Hospitals, Tricia Morente, LifeSpring Hospitals View Abstract
4. “Car Part” Incubator: An Innovative Solution, Aya Caldwell, CIMIT Global Health Initiative View Abstract
5. Cost-Effective Asphyxia Intervention in Aceh, Aya Caldwell, CIMIT Global Health Initiative View Abstract
6. MIDA (Medical In-Field Diagnostic Assistant), Alexander Albertine, MIDA International View Abstract
7. Women-Owned Franchises: Diagnostics in Rural India, Ann Rogan, Drishtee View Abstract
8. Resdida: Affordable Bi-Directional Communications, Karen Vincent, Resdida View Abstract
9. Hot Diagnostic Technologies: Low cost, point of care, Paul LaBarre, PATH View Abstract
10. Ultra Rice: Expanding markets for fortified rice, Rae Galloway, PATH View Abstract

11. InSTEDD’s Global Early Warning and Response System, Taha Kass-Hout, InSTEDD View Abstract
12. Rapid Healthcare Diagnostics Network – D.Scope, Daniel Niclas, D-Rev View Abstract
13. Social Marketing and Franchising for a Better Life, Preeti Anand, Janani View Abstract
14. Embrace: A $25 Infant Incubator, Jane Chen, Embrace View Abstract
15. Affordable, Sustainable Mobile Health Delivery, Don Yansen, ClickHealth, View Abstract
16. The CFWclinics Franchise Network, Greg Starbird, HealthStore Foundation, View Abstract
17. Mobile Games for Healthcare, Hilmi Quraishi, ZMQ Software Systems View Abstract
18. Water-Based Health Care Delivery in Bangladesh, Rupa Patel, Friendship Health Care View Abstract
19. Arsenic Water Filter, Jamil Husain, Telophase Corporation View Abstract
20. Remote Health Monitoring Device, Jamil Husain, Telophase Corporation View Abstract
21. Integration of Hygiene Kits into Health Service Delivery, Cecilia Kwak, Population Services International View Abstract
22. Electrochemical Arsenic Remediation for Rural Asia, Susan Addy, University of California, Berkeley View Abstract
23. WaterHealth International: Clean Water Solutions, Susan Addy, WaterHealth International View Abstract
24. Integrated, automated system for CD4, hem analysis on-site HIV/AIDS patient monitoring & management, Kim Beer, Pointcare Technologies View Abstract
25. Low-cost Ventilator, Arsath Ahammed, BITS Dubai View Abstract
26. Low-cost SPRD, Greg Shane, AktivPak View Abstract
27. Low-cost Infusion Pump, Amir Genosar, Fluonic View Abstract
28. Affordable Needle-Free Measles Immunization, Amir Genosar, Aespironics View Abstract
29. Developing a large scale consumption of fonio, Sanoussi Diakite, DKP View Abstract
30. BASF Grameen Ltd, Egon Weinmueller, BASF SE View Abstract
31. IMI: Providing Access to Mobility, Rudy Roy, Intelligent Mobility International View Abstract
32. Rural Micro-enterprise for Improved Nutrition, Hart Jansson, Malnutrition Matters View Abstract
33. Safe Drinking Water: A Reality for All, Rohini Mukherjee, Naandi Foundation View Abstract
34. FrontlineSMS:Medic – Towards Healthcare in a Box, Lucky Gunasekara, FrontlineSMS:Medic View Abstract
35. Question Box – Village Health Hotline, Rose Shuman, Open Mind – Question Box View Abstract
36. Health Children – Renascer, Laura Cordeiro, Renascer – Child Heath View Abstract
37. Micro-health Insurance Scheme of Grameen Kalyan, Imamus Sultan, Grameen Kalyan View Abstract
38. Low-Cost USB-based Ultrasound Probes, David Zar, Washington University View Abstract
39. Envirofit Clean Cookstoves – Sustainability & Scale, Ron Bills, Envirofit International View Abstract
40. A social business for drinking water in Bangladesh, Erice Lesueur, Veolia Water, View Abstract
41. A Home-based Urine Test for Clinical Malaria, Eddy Agbo, Fyodor Biotechnologies, Inc. View Abstract
42. Aravind Eye Hospital, View Abstract

The folks at the World Health Care Congress blogged the conference here, check it out.

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