Solar Suitcase makes childbirth safer in Africa’s rural areas

Giving birth to a new life is no mean feat, and sometimes complications do arise. When it comes to sending mom to a hospital whenever she is about to give birth, it goes without saying that with the proper equipment, the chances of a safe delivery will be much higher than say, a person living right smack in the middle of the Amazon jungle without access to proper healthcare facilities. Well, perhaps the advent of solar technology might even up the odds a wee bit – thanks to the Solar Suitcase.

Just what the heck is the Solar Suitcase? Well, this is a portable, self-contained solar power system that has a photovoltaic panel on one side, alongside long-life batteries on the other. You can open it up to juice the internal batteries, while a fetal Doppler baby monitor is perfect to have whenever a difficult medical situation arises.

Dr. Laura Stachel is the brainchild behind the Solar Suitcase, and she has deployed it to 14 countries already. She says, “We’re told that the overhead LED lights in the labor rooms are attracting more women to deliver in clinics at night. This means more women are having skilled providers at their births.”

Edwin Kee
Categories: Gadgets, Green, Medical
Tags: Solar, solar energy, solar power