2011 Summer Institute ends; get ready for 2012!

Angela and Soren after repairing an autoclave

As of August 21, 2011, EWH’s 10th year of hosting the Summer Institute came to a close. Once again, the staff at both Engineering World Health and the Developing World Healthcare Technology Lab at Duke University are celebrating a productive and impactful program. This year, 48 students from 4 countries and 18 universities participated in Summer Institute programs in Nicaragua, Honduras and Tanzania. During the two month program, students learned Spanish or Swahili, developed and applied technical skills and assisted EWH’s partner hospitals with the repair and maintenance of numerous pieces of broken medical equipment.

Student-made bililights in Tanzania

Each year, students take away their individual stories and experiences. Angela Czesak and her Summer Institute partner, Søren Dueholm, both stationed at Mt Meru Hospital in Tanzania, will no doubt remember their efforts to work with infants in need of billilights, a blue photo therapy light which is used to treat jaundice in babies. Angela and Søren designed and built bililights that could be used to treat up to 4 jaundiced babies.

Student-made otoscope in Nicaragua

Conferences were hosted, in country, at the end of each Summer Institute program in order to highlight the students’ achievements before EWH staff, board members, local hospital administrators and other guests. In Tanzania, a very special guest, Dr. Richard Sezibera, Secretary General of the East African Community, joined the group and offered a presentation on his vision for the EAC, including further development of healthcare systems. Both he, and EWH CEO, Melissa Beard, addressed Summer Institute participants and recognized their work.

EWH is now accepting applications for the 2012 Summer Institute! Please visit this page for more information!