This is a period of great change for Engineering World Health and we invite you to share in our excitement, participate in our programs and support our ability to improve health care in developing countries.

Our mission

Engineering World Health inspires and mobilizes the biomedical engineering community to improve the quality of health care in vulnerable communities of the developing world. We achieve our mission through innovation and effective alliances with great partners.

Our vision

Engineering World Health will be recognized internationally as a leader in:

• Developing and introducing novel health care technologies appropriate for resource-poor settings
• Responding to the challenges of developing self-sustainability in maintaining and repairing medical technology in developing countries
• Mobilizing the biomedical engineering community to improve the quality of health care in resource-poor settings
• Providing students and volunteers with the life-changing experience of contributing to improving lives in vulnerable communities

Our values

We place high value on:

• Finding workable solutions through innovation and creativity
• Serving while learning from the most vulnerable communities
• Promoting self reliance
• Balancing challenge and safety for students and volunteers

History

EWH was established by Bob Malkin and Mohammad Kiani, professors at the University of Memphis, in 2001 with the aim of improving the technological infrastructure in developing country clinics and hospitals. Under the leadership of Bob Malkin, now a Duke University professor, and with help from a handful of volunteers, EWH has initiated and grown several programs, among which a student summer program, an equipment design program and EWH chapters, are the most prominent.

Transition and future

A multi-year grant from the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation awarded in 2008 is enabling the transition of EWH from a volunteer-based organization to a professional NGO with a great future. In the coming five years, we will grow and diversify EWH programs in two broad thematic areas: building capacity for equipment maintenance and repair in developing countries and the design and development of appropriate technology.