Natasha Gous of SystemOne in the U.S. will develop a mobile application and digital platform to support people testing themselves for HIV by sending them reminders, offering guidance, and reporting the results. Simple and rapid diagnostic tests and self-testing are now being used across low-resource settings to improve the diagnosis of HIV infections. However, results need to be interpreted manually, which can be difficult for uneducated users, and linked with health facilities so the appropriate care can be given. To address these issues, they will develop a downloadable application so that users can enter their personal data, such as age, sex, and location, and receive instructions on how to perform the test. They will also develop a secure, online database that collects the test results, provides custom reporting, and integrates with the existing laboratory information systems so that health coordinators can monitor testing uptake and disease incidence, and HIV positive users can be informed of where to receive care. They will pilot test their approach for usability and accuracy of reporting with 300 individuals in a clinic in South Africa.

Sara Grobbelaar of Stellenbosch University in South Africa will develop a platform that can analyze existing real-time data on the stocks of health products at clinics across South Africa and present it to all players in the supply chain to ensure products are available when needed. In partnership with a Northern academic institution they will collect and sort relevant data, analyze trends, and develop decision-making tools. The platform will allow analysis, modeling, and forecasting in the health product supply chain so that unexpected changes such as supply disruptions or epidemics can be accommodated.

Fassika Fikre Hailemeskel of Maisha Technologies PLC in Ethiopia will build and field-test their drone for the rapid delivery of blood from blood banks to health facilities across Ethiopia. Almost 50% of maternal deaths in Ethiopia are caused by hemorrhage. Although there are 24 regional blood banks, difficult terrain and limited infrastructure on the ground mean that delivery to certain areas is almost impossible. A drone would bypass these obstacles. Their drone has been locally designed and will be locally built to keep cost to a minimum, and they will first test it for flight-performance and air-worthiness. They will then design a second, updated drone and test its ability to deliver routine and emergency blood from a single blood bank over two months. This will inform the design of a final version, which will be built and analyzed for drone and delivery performance, and impact particularly on maternal health.

Daniel Carucci of The Immunity Charm Foundation in the U.S. will produce a low-cost bracelet as a visual cue to encourage parents in south Asia to get their children fully vaccinated at the appropriate times. There is a widely held belief in south Asia that black beads on a bracelet protect children from evil spirits. Using that symbol of protection they have designed an 'Immunity Charm' bracelet for infants, which has the traditional black beads as well as a series of colored beads, each representing a vaccine that protects against one disease. The colored bead is added when the associated vaccination has been received. They will evaluate their approach for promoting vaccinations in five health centers in India by launching an awareness campaign with posters and flyers, training health workers, and supplying the bracelets.