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Project title

Supporting climate-resilient health facilities in Malawi through sustainable access to water using solar disinfection of harvested rainwater: the SURGWater Project

Primary Funding Agency

Taighde �ireann-Research Ireland

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

Department of Foreign Affairs

Lead Organisation

Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI)

Lead Applicant

Not listed

Project Abstract

The Climate Crisis makes access to water scarce and unpredictable in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where the most vulnerable populations live. Annually over 17 million women in SSA give birth in healthcare facilities (HCFs) without adequate water, putting their lives and their babies� at risk. District HCFs are often the only place where rural dwellers access health services, but when these lack clean water, safe care cannot be provided to patients. No water also means life-saving surgical procedures cannot take place, resulting in emergency referrals or deaths of women and their babies. Little research has been done to develop sustainable, low-energy solutions suitable for poor-resource settings. The SURGeWater multidisciplinary team will respond to these challenges. We will develop an innovative technology using solar water disinfection (SODIS) batch reactors to treat harvested rainwater, which can be stored and used during shortages or when water quality is compromised. The aim is to develop a prototype adapted to the needs of district HCFs in rural Malawi. Based on over a decade of experience in research in this country and region, this highly-experienced team will evaluate feasibility, effectiveness and adoption of the SODIS technology in clinical settings, generating lessons informing national scale-up.

Grant Approved

�1,126,583.00

Research Hub

Climate Change

Research Theme

3. Climate Solutions, Transition Management and Opportunities

Start Date

01/08/2024

Initial Projected Completion Date

31/07/2026