[change] Rohit Chaudhri on the Human Milkbank Project.

[Nicola Dell]

It is estimated that in resource-poor areas of the world, 3.3 million
neonatal deaths occur within the first four weeks of life every year.
According to the Lancet Child Survival Series, 13% of deaths of children
under the age of five could be prevented by breastfeeding alone.
Availability of breast milk to vulnerable infants can be increased
significantly by establishing human milk banks. However, providing safe
breast milk to infants in developing regions continues to be a challenge.
Commercial-grade pasteurizers are too expensive and beyond the reach of
most organizations. Affordable, low-tech pasteurization methods lack the
appropriate quality control mechanisms, which prevents implementation at a
large-scale.

In this project we have leveraged mobile and sensing technologies to create
an alternate system to safely pasteurize human breast milk. The system,
called FoneAstra, enables low-level sensors like temperature probes, to be
connected to mobile phones. It ensures that milk is pasteurized correctly
by providing appropriate audiovisual feedback to guide users performing the
procedure. At the end of the procedure, users are able to print a
pasteurization report and labels for pasteurized milk bottles using a
Bluetooth-enabled printer. The system automatically uploads temperature
curves of procedures to a server, which enables supervisors to remotely
monitor facilities where procedures are performed.

The first trial of the system started in Durban, South Africa, in May 2012.
We have deployed it at two locations. First, it is being used to perform
routine pasteurizations at a milk bank located in the neonate ward of a
district-level hospital. Second, our in-country partners in the pediatrics
department of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, are using it to validate the
efficacy of the system by doing microbial activity tests on pre- and
post-pasteurized milk samples. The results received so far have been
encouraging – while pre-pasteurized milk samples showed microbial activity,
none of the post-pasteurized samples showed any microbial activity. The
system will be installed at two new milk banks in Durban in the coming
months. Our in-country partners are also promoting the system with the
South African Dept. of Health, who are in the process of scaling up milk
banking across the country, and are looking for alternate, affordable
methods to safely pasteurize human breast milk.

Rohit Chaudhri is a PhD student in the Change group at the University of
Washington.

What: Rohit Chaudhri on the Human Milkbank Project.

When: Tuesday, February 5th at 12 noon.

Where: The Allen Center, CSE 203
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[change] Reminder: Information session on Ghana Exploration Seminar - today!

[Melody Clark]

Hello!

Just a friendly reminder that we will be hosting an information session today, 
Monday, February 4th from 1:30-2:30pm about the Exploration Seminar in Ghana 
that will take place this coming summer. The seminar focuses on research, 
development, communication, and technology (more information below). The 
seminar is 4-weeks long and students can receive graduate or undergraduate 
credits. (more details below)

Information session time and location
Monday, February 4,  1:30-2:30pm, Mary Gates Hall 258

If you are unable to attend in person, the information sessions will be 
available via Adobe Connect here: 
http://connect.washington.edu/ischool-tascha/. Please enter the room as a guest.

If you have any questions about the program, feel free to email us:
Araba Sey (araba...@uw.edu)
Chris Rothschild (chri...@uw.edu)

Thank you!



Hello!

On January 29 and February 4, we will be holding information sessions for an 
Exploration Seminar in Ghana that will take place this coming summer. The 
seminar focuses on research, development, communication, and technology (more 
information below). The seminar is 4-weeks long and students can receive 
graduate or undergraduate credits.

At the information sessions, we will discuss the program, expectations, life in 
Ghana (food, safety, transportation, etc.), and any other questions you have 
about the program.

Information session times and locations
Monday, February 4,  1:30-2:30pm, Mary Gates Hall 258

Please come with your questions and concerns.

If you cannot make it to either session but still have questions, please feel 
free to contact us.

Thanks!
araba
___
 
http://studyabroad.washington.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewProgram&Program_ID=10922&Type=O&sType=O

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) in Ghana ranges 
from no access in many rural areas to access comparable to some major US 
cities. What strategies do people with low incomes use to connect to others and 
get the information they need? How does this impact their lives? We can get 
answers to these questions through research and direct experience. Whether you 
are interested in the uses and impacts of ICTs on the lives of people in 
developing countries, or more generally in information and communication in 
another country or learning about how to do field research, this seminar is an 
opportunity to explore researched-based learning through immersion in the 
people and culture of Ghana.
In this seminar students will examine how people in different types of 
communities (urban and rural) use ICTs in their daily activities and how they 
feel about the impacts on their well-being. In contrast to historical notions 
of development where outside agencies determine goals with little input from 
the target populations, we will focus on development from the perspective of 
low-income populations. Students can apply the experience to their individual 
areas of interest, whether they be information systems, health, education, or 
other fields. The program will provide instruction and practical experience on 
using field research methods to investigate the role of ICTs in the livelihoods 
of low and middle-income populations. If you are interested in ICTs, 
development, or just want to learn more about conducting field research, we 
encourage you to apply!

APPLICATION DEADLINE: MARCH 1, 2013

To find out more about this seminar visit the program 
website
 
(http://studyabroad.washington.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewProgram&Program_ID=10922&Type=O&sType=O).

If you have any questions about the program, feel free to email us:
Araba Sey (araba...@uw.edu)
Chris Rothschild (chri...@uw.edu)



--
Melody Clark
Technology & Social Change (TASCHA)
melcl...@uw.edu | 206.685.7819
Twitter: @taschagroup | 
@ictimpact | 
@melodyrclark
tascha.uw.edu


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