Maureen Etuket, a Ugandan doctoral student, has developed an innovative tool called the SMART PVD device to combat postpartum hemorrhage, a leading cause of maternal mortality. The device, which is still in development, is designed as a drape that collects blood beneath a birthing mother and activates an alarm when blood volume reaches critical levels, alerting medical staff and possibly preventing fatal outcomes. Etuket’s commitment to enhancing public healthcare and preserving lives serves as an inspiring reminder that even complex medical challenges can be tackled through innovation, collaboration, and determination.
What is the SMART PVD device and how does it combat maternal mortality?
The SMART PVD device is an innovative tool developed by Maureen Etuket, which aims to enhance the diagnosis and management of blood loss after childbirth. Designed as a drape that collects blood beneath a birthing mother, an electronic module within the drape monitors blood volume and activates an alarm when critical levels are reached, promptly alerting medical staff and possibly preventing fatal outcomes. This potentially life-saving device has the potential to transform maternal healthcare and save innumerable lives around the world.
In a world where countless mothers face life-threatening complications during childbirth, one woman has embarked on a journey to protect lives. Maureen Etuket, a Ugandan doctoral student from Stellenbosch University, is determined to prevent maternal deaths caused by excessive bleeding after birth, known as postpartum haemorrhage (PPH).
Motivated by her passion for solving medical issues and contributing to public healthcare, Etuket co-founded Pumzi Devices Uganda Limited. Together with her team, she developed a prototype called the SMART PVD device (SMART Postpartum Haemorrhage Volumetric Drape). This innovative device aims to enhance the diagnosis and management of blood loss after childbirth. The groundbreaking invention recently received the Mandela Rhodes Foundation’s award for social impact in Africa – the 2023 Äänit Prize of $38,000 (approximately R700,000).
Etuket’s academic journey commenced with a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Makerere University. In 2020, she co-founded Pumzi Devices with Dr. Peter Kavuma, striving to develop solutions for emergency healthcare challenges through the application of biomedical engineering principles.
The idea for the SMART PVD device was inspired by Etuket’s clinical trials in Ugandan hospitals, where she noticed a dependence on subjective visual estimation for detecting PPH. Nurses often assessed blood loss using their eyes and experience, rather than an objective measurement. This inaccurate method has resulted in devastating and covert loss of life, sometimes referred to as “silent death.”
Determined to address this problem, Etuket collaborated with students from Kampala’s Ernest Cook Ultrasound Research and Education Institute to envision a more accurate, potentially life-saving tool. The SMART PVD device is designed as a drape that collects blood beneath a birthing mother. An electronic module within the drape monitors blood volume and activates an alarm when critical levels are reached, promptly alerting medical staff and possibly preventing fatal outcomes.
Although the prototype is still in development, Etuket is hopeful that the final product will revolutionize public healthcare, not only in Uganda but also in other parts of the world, particularly low- and middle-income countries. PPH is a global issue, affecting various regions, including South Africa.
According to the World Health Organization, PPH is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality worldwide. Etuket stresses the importance of finding ways to prevent excessive bleeding after birth and believes that women should not have to die from this condition.
Despite being geographically separated from her team, Etuket’s leadership persists through monthly online strategy meetings. Currently, she is pursuing her PhD at Stellenbosch University, where she aims to create a roadmap for localizing medical devices in South Africa. This effort builds on her Master’s degree in Health Innovation from the University of Cape Town.
The SMART PVD device symbolizes hope in the battle against maternal mortality. Etuket’s commitment to enhancing public healthcare and preserving lives serves as an inspiring reminder that even complex medical challenges can be tackled through innovation, collaboration, and determination. As the development of the SMART PVD device advances, it has the potential to transform maternal healthcare and save innumerable lives around the world.
The SMART PVD device is an innovative tool developed by Maureen Etuket, which aims to enhance the diagnosis and management of blood loss after childbirth.
Designed as a drape that collects blood beneath a birthing mother, an electronic module within the drape monitors blood volume and activates an alarm when critical levels are reached, promptly alerting medical staff and possibly preventing fatal outcomes.
Maureen Etuket was motivated by her passion for solving medical issues and contributing to public healthcare. Her exposure to the dependence on subjective visual estimation in detecting PPH during clinical trials in Ugandan hospitals also motivated her to find ways to prevent excessive bleeding after birth.
PPH is excessive bleeding after birth and is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.
The Mandela Rhodes Foundation’s award for social impact in Africa is the 2023 Äänit Prize of $38,000 (approximately R700,000). The SMART PVD device was awarded this prize in recognition of its potential to revolutionize public healthcare and save innumerable lives worldwide.
The SMART PVD device aims to enhance the diagnosis and management of blood loss after childbirth by providing an objective measurement of blood volume using an electronic module within the drape that monitors blood volume and activates an alarm when critical levels are reached.
Maureen Etuket has a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Makerere University and a Master’s degree in Health Innovation from the University of Cape Town. She is currently pursuing her PhD at Stellenbosch University.
Maureen Etuket plans to create a roadmap for localizing medical devices in South Africa through her PhD research at Stellenbosch University. She aims to find ways to make medical devices more accessible and affordable for healthcare facilities in the country.
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