It Took 20 Years, But Now A Simple Invention Is Saving The Lives of Babies

The first night on the job, working in the pediatric department, he watched three children die right before his eyes. That night he made a promise to do something to stop children from dying of pneumonia.

Dr. Mohammod Jobayer Chisti vowed to change the world of medicine that night in 1996, and he has done it.

About 920,000 babies and small children pass away each year from pneumonia in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. After two decades of research, the father-of-three has come up with a low-cost device that has the potential to save thousands of babies' lives.

Pneumonia is a illness that affects the lungs after infections from bacteria or a virus. The lungs become swollen and fill with fluid which reduces the patient's ability to breathe.

In developed countries hospitals use ventilators to help people suffering from pneumonia to breathe. Each machine, however, costs up to $15,000 and must have specially-trained staff operate the ventilator. This makes them too expensive for some hospitals in some developing countries.

The World Health Organization recommends a lower-cost alternative of using a low-flow oxygen machine, but it still results in one in seven children dying.

While Dr. Christi was working in Melbourne, Australia, he got inspiration for a better solution that would save more lives.

Read the full article on Shared.com

Photo: Shared.com


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