Matt Blyde hard at work at MTTS's workshop/office, Hanoi
Photo by (courtesy of) MTTS

Life Saving Machines for Newborns - EWB Volunteers helping out

At the MTTS office in Hanoi, the two EWB field volunteers, Matt and John, have been hard at work on improving the design of life support systems for new-born babies. Their input has been critical in development of systems that not only meet international standards of health care, but can be produced and maintained inexpensively.

Posted by Michael Evans to South East Asia, 7th July 2010, 8:08pm

There are numerous challenges with trying to design and create neonatal care units, such as the photo-therapy and resuscitation systems currently being made at MTTS. Most equipment created for 'western' applications is not practical in many hospitals of Vietnam, due to their overly complex control and feedback systems, and requirement for high-expense replacement parts. Matt assists MTTS staff in, amongst other things, troubleshooting production problems and designing new or improved circuit boards. Matt reports: “The requirements of hospitals in the developing world are quite different from those in the west. Instead of trying to pack in as much functionality and features as possible we focus on making equipment that is both simple and cheap to produce, use and maintain.”
This clip was made by John, showing the connection of the Pulse Oximeter to a tiny patient: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoXhQiU2lBk

John works in production and his main role has been to improve the quality of products developed by MTTS. This has meant reorganising the production process, introducing a comprehensive quality control system, acquiring professional tools and consumables, as well as training staff in good production techniques. Part of the process of training staff has involved the creation of training videos demonstrating things like “how to solder”. These videos are an efficient way to increase quality and consistency in the production of these life-saving devices, which are being distributed to hundreds of hospitals around Vietnam. The clip (below) is an example of one of these.

Translated soldering and circuitry tutorial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tb0MCVu_Hts


It is hoped the neonatal equipment, such as the CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) and photo-therapy module will soon become viable solutions to manufacture and adopt in other countries with mixed levels of medical technology advancement.

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