Ukrainian Doctors Reach Out For Help, American Surgeons Answer the Call

The WhatsApp group SURG Africa and remote Managed Clinical Network connect district hospitals with specialists, like surgeons and anesthesiologists, who can provide support and advice on difficult medical cases. The goal of the group is to improve healthcare services available and increase access to necessary care, specifically in rural areas.

The future of medical devices is beginning to heavily rely on the integration of technological advances including apps, robotic and 3-D printing. From increasing education around diabetes via an app to digital smart pills that treat mental illnesses, technology has become a crucial partner to not just those working in the health industry, but also to the consumers.

Competent transgender care can be hard to access for many, but an organization that is utilizing a telehealth approach is helping to fill the gap in five states across southeastern United States. Although the video conferencing solution can't act as a replacement for a primary care doctor due to the geographical difference, it does provide consistent care for transition-related services.

Mayday Health is a health-education nonprofit that helps patients in states that have banned abortion figure out how to get abortions anyway. For people living in states where abortion is banned, Mayday provides step-by-step instructions for how to obtain abortion pills, as well as medical information about the safety and reliability of medication abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy.

The Festus Fajemilo Foundation teaches parents how to care for children with spina bifida and hydrocephalus and helps fund treatment and surgery costs for families who can’t afford it. The foundation connects with parents through social media, radio, TV, and public lectures like its annual “Go-Folic” campaign which encourages women on the importance of folic acid and has reached 10,000 people so far.

The Bashir Fistula Foundation (BFF) provides free surgeries to remedy obstetric fistula, as well as rehabilitation services to integrate patients back into society. Since the organization was formed in 2018, approximately 98 women have benefitted from free surgical intervention.

A hospital in Uganda is using a new device created by scientists that produces oxygen without the use of electricity. Since the device has been introduced, 500 children have been treated with it and the mortality for children who have faced breathing problems has been reduced drastically.

Digital platforms allow Syrian doctors living abroad to assist over-burdened local doctors deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. Conflict has severely limited Syria's health services, so NGOs use online platforms like Zoom and WhatsApp to allow Syrian doctors abroad to provide consultations, deliver trainings, and share resources - including a daily forum for local doctors to get second opinions on cases. Thousands of volunteers have joined and organizers think this model can work in other conflict areas if local agents are engaged, they have the trust of the population, and there is the technical capacity.

Scientists from Uganda and Australia have worked together to come up with a device that produces oxygen without the use of electricity. Although this solution was originally intended to help address the high rate of children suffering from pneumonia, it is now also relevant for those suffering from respiratory issues due to COVID-19, especially in rural areas.

An orthopedic surgeon, software developers, and medical experts have teamed up to create a virtual reality headset that helps eliminate unpredictability during surgical procedures. Although this is one of many technological advancements that's being used to bridge a gap in health care, both virtual reality and video games have helped to assist not just during procedures but also in "highly irregular situations or those that would be impossible to replicate.