November 2023 — On 12 October, UNICEF ESARO with the support of partner agencies including IFRC, MSF, and WHO, led the first Design for Health Hackathon to address the challenge of persistent and prolonged cholera outbreaks in our region. The Design for Health Hackathon aimed to generate innovative thinking on how to reduce cholera-related deaths and support health-seeking behaviour at the first signs of cholera. The event brought together partners, designers and innovators, researchers and donors to rethink and redesign the cholera health service experience by closely examining behaviours across the journey to health. Five groups of participants competed to develop and pitch innovative ideas to a panel of technical experts and donors.

The Hackathon main objectives include:

• Deepen the understanding of barriers and behaviours that affect successful cholera response

• Develop innovative ideas for improving the experience of cholera response services and promoting timely health-seeking behaviours during cholera outbreaks, and uptake of ORS

• Fostering and strengthening partnerships between designers, donors, and community of practice.

Following each groups’ pitch, the panel selected the “ParaBoda” design project as the winner of the Hackathon. The design project consists in:

• Partnering with local BodaBoda drivers to offer lifts to Oral Rehydration Points (ORP) and Cholera Treatment Units (CTU) for suspected cases

• Capacitating drivers to support with surveillance and active case finding for cholera, with adequate 2-way communication systems

• Monitoring trips through GPS by the response partners to ensure tracking of ride and alert messages sent to ORPs/CTUs to ensure materials are ready on arrival

• Innovative boda and tuk designs to enable adequate sanitation protocols between rides 

Access the Design Challenge Summary Presentation here.

With support from health partners, UNICEF and the winning designers continue to refine this idea and develop a plan for piloting in the coming months.