Networking
Health clinics are physically far away from Baobab Health offices so there is a need for connectivity. Baobab uses a combination of connectivity solutions to link the sites where the Baobab systems are installed to the Baobab Offices. The solutions include: wide area wireless networks; Internet connections; GPRS. Connectivity is important for remote monitoring, remote system administration, technical support, and off site data backup. Baobab also has the capacity to build its own towers setting up wireless networks.
Power Backup
As power failures often occur in Malawi Baobab Health has developed and deployed a deep-cycle battery system to provide continuous back-up for extended power outages up to 10 hours or more from one charge. Baobab’s battery backup system is designed on locally sourced and maintained batteries which are also significantly less expensive than traditional UPS backup systems (which typically have a 15 minute or so power backup ability). The battery system can be charged using wind and solar chargers as well.
Alternative Energy Sources
Some health centers still operate without electricity. For our systems to work Baobab Health has embarked on utilizing alternative energy sources to run systems. Currently two rural clinics, M’ngoni Health Center and Mbang’ombe Health Center in Lilongwe are using this Baobab solution. These health centers are off the main electricity grid and are powered using a hybrid solution of wind and solar power sources. Each of the two sites has computers, a tower and a wireless link to Lilongwe spanning about 32km in one hop. Baobab has also set up a tower and a 32km wireless link which is powered by wind.
Low Power Servers
Being efficient with electricity power is crucial to operating in Malawi. Baobab Health is using low power servers for its system implementation. These servers use 5% of the power of a traditional server-class computer, can easily run from battery backup or multiple power sources, are widely available and match the IT needs of the Baobab Electronic Data System. The servers also require very minimal cooling mechanism and therefore have no need for expensive air conditioners. They can run 4 workstations and a server on less wattage than is needed for 100 watt lightbulb.
Touchscreen Clinical Workstations
Developing a user friendly application for healthcare workers with a large workload and low computer skills was the basis on which Baobab Health developed its low-cost application-specific touchscreen for data entry. This appliance is used at the point of care to enter patient information and guide healthcare workers through clinical protocols. In addition to being less expensive than a personal computer, this appliance has the following benefits:
- Lower power consumption enabling future integration with renewable energy sources such as solar power.
- Is powered through its Ethernet connection, greatly simplifying deployment by not requiring an outlet.
- Has no useful utility other than for the installed programs thereby reducing the risk of theft or misuse.
Currently Baobab Health is utilizing off-the-shelf touch-screen hardware solutions. This gives users more flexibility in choosing appropriate hardware. At the same time it makes the national scale up of services in Malawi more efficient.
