Poster 3: Are you blue yet? Developing low cost, alternative powered pulse oximetry for ill babies and children

Of the 10.6 million child deaths each year, new estimates suggest that 86% are due to an acute illness such as pneumonia, neonatal sepsis, malaria or asphyxia. Many ill babies and children are hypoxic and should receive oxygen therapy. Clinical signs may either under- or overdiagnose hypoxaemia, resulting in death, morbidity or oxygen wastage. Furthermore too high levels of oxygen can damage the eyes of premature babies on oxygen therapy. Pulse oximetry is a good predictor of hypoxaemia and thus widely used in the developed world, but high costs and the need for a reliable power supply makes this lifesaving technology unavailable in many poor resource settings. Aims: To develop a pulse oximeter that is accurate, robust, reliable and cheap with alternative options for power supply (electricity, solar energy or hand wind-up mechanism). To assess the accuracy of the prototype compared with a standard model pulse oximeter, the appropriateness in a low resource setting, and the acceptability to staff and patients. Methods: Five prototypes have been manufactured and currently are being tested in field trials in South Africa to ascertain accuracy and usability. Results: The prototype gives accurate saturation readings when compared to a standard oximeter model with no significant differences when the readings are compared (n= 60). The prototype readings remain accurate as the power runs low and the device switches off (n=20). If wind-up power is used, 30 seconds of winding result in an average of 2 minutes 55 seconds of continuous use. Health workers found the prototype user-friendly, helpful and appropriate for the settings. They also expressed a need for such devices in medical fields other than neonatology and paediatrics. Conclusion: A package of a reliable, user-friendly, affordable and energy-independent pulse oximeter