Hi-techhealthcare

China’s innovative technology provides Africa with effective healthcare solutions

Life is tough for Birke fisaha, a 29-year-old Ethiopian health worker, at the Ambericho Achamo health post in Wulbareg County, Ethiopia. She is responsible for the health needs of more than 7,600 people in several of the county’s villages. Among those, around 200 are below one year old and in need of vaccines. Immunization is one of the effective methods for preventing many life-threatening childhood illnesses.

In the past, children could only get vaccines at the health post on a designated day every month, due to the lack of power supply. On that day, Fisaha would wake up early and walk several miles to the nearest health center to collect vaccines stored in a cold box with ice bags. Ice is essential to preserve the vaccines’ efficacy. She would inform parents beforehand to bring their children to be vaccinated, but once the ice melted the vaccines became ineffective. Mothers traveled with their young kids for miles on foot, but sometimes when arriving late, they found the health post had run out of vaccines.

The Ambericho Achamo health post’s situation is a typical example of Africa, where poor infrastructure and unreliable power supply mean life-saving vaccines are often spoiled, or out of stock, as they need to be kept cool from manufacture all the way to point of use.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 17 percent of deaths in children under five are vaccine-preventable. An estimated 1.5 million children die annually from diseases that can be prevented by immunization.

Now, thanks to a new invention, hope is at hand. Arktek, a keg-like portable vaccine storage device, is expected to help address this major health challenge on the continent. This innovative device was developed by Aucma, a Chinese refrigeration equipment supplier, and Global Good, a research institution funded by Bill Gates.

“The ice blocks need to be refrozen only every 50 days in a low-temperature refrigerator, which is available in local hospitals,” said Ren Yizhao, Aucma’s Director of Integration Management. “One Arktek device can meet the needs of a community of about 6,000 people, and it has a life span of at least 10 years.” Ren said doctors in remote and powerlacking areas can preserve vaccines that may save many lives, especially those of children.

The device is making the vaccination process much more effective for health workers like Fisaha. “It’s easy to use and requires minimum maintenance,” Fisaha said, adding that it is rugged enough to be transported over long-distances on rough roads.

“How to preserve vaccines and medicines in rural

Chinese companies are being encouraged to invest in African countries for localized production and to improve health products’ accessibility.

areas is the challenge we have,” Sasara Chasala George, Botswana’s Ambassador to China, told Chinafrica when attending the 25th China International Medical Equipment Exhibition held on August 19-21 in Beijing. “Because of the unreliable power supply in Africa, this device is wonderful, especially for clinics in rural areas.”

“Arktek overcomes two major obstacles for vaccine delivery in Africa: unstable power supply and a lack of professionals for device maintenance,” said Lucy Chen, Executive Deputy Director of Peking University’s Institute for Global Health.