How Tech is Changing how we Work
Al-Mowasah Hospital Embraces Greener Future
Solar panels on the roof of Al-Mowasah Hospital.
Al-Mowasah Hospital adopts eco-friendly measures, including solar panels, energy-efficient boilers, and waste recycling.
Al-Mowasah Hospital in Jordan, home to MSF’s reconstructive surgery programme, has become more eco-friendly by integrating solar energy and other green initiatives. Rodolphe Clair, MSF’s logistics director, frequently checks the app he downloaded after the solar panels were installed. "Here, we can see the energy produced and the carbon saved in 24 hours,” Clair explains, noting that 626 kilos of CO2 saved is equivalent to planting 50 trees. Solar panels now cover 8% of the hospital’s energy needs, with plans to expand to 30%.
The hospital has also converted its fleet to hybrid vehicles, introduced a more efficient air conditioning system and reduced plastic waste by three tons annually. Waste segregation has improved as well, with 54% of non-medical waste now recycled. These measures have cut costs and reduced MSF's environmental footprint. MSF has pledged to reduce its global CO2 emissions by at least 50% compared to 2019 levels by 2030.
AI-Powered Project Targets Early Cervical Cancer Detection in Malawi
The MSF Foundation, in partnership with MSF and Epicentre, has launched an innovative project to improve early detection of cervical cancer in low- and middle-income countries.
In Malawi, where late-stage diagnosis makes cervical cancer one of the deadliest diseases for women, this project represents a critical step forward. By employing advanced AI to examine cervical images, the programme seeks to detect pre-cancerous lesions in high-risk women, offering a life-saving tool to improve timely care.
Find out more about this groundbreaking project in our region!
Machine Learning for Safer Drinking Water
A day with MSF WatSan Luke Chu, who is responsible for the provision of water to the refugees in Doro refugee camp in Maban county, South Sudan.
Jerrycan water is tested using the SWOT in Uganda © Syed Imran Ali
In response to the hepatitis E outbreak in South Sudan’s Maban refugee camps, MSF’s water and sanitation team, led by Syed Imran Ali, discovered that water was being recontaminated after collection. “We saw that the water quality is OK where people collect it, but very quickly it becomes recontaminated. And once water is recontaminated, it becomes a pathway for transmission of disease rather than something that helps people,” says Ali. To address this, MSF developed the Safe Water Optimisation Tool (SWOT), a free online resource that allows humanitarian workers anywhere in the world to upload their local water quality monitoring data along with details like how long water is stored for in people's homes. At the press of a button, the tool then generates a chlorination target that ensures the water is safe to drink for people at that specific site, for as long as it’s likely to be stored. SWOT is now used by MSF and other humanitarian organisations across nine countries. It helps optimise water safety in real-time by predicting chlorine decay and preventing disease transmission, safeguarding the health of vulnerable populations.