Epidemiology and Biostatistics Seminar Series

Friday, November 8, 2024
1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
PHFM 3015 (Western Centre for Public Health and Family Medicine)

Dr. Margaret Mutumba Nakalembe
Future Proof: How medical technological innovation is solving health equity in a global context

Join the Zoom: email epibio@schulich.uwo.ca

In today's world, it remains surprising that half of the global population lacks access to essential healthcare services or lifesaving technologies taken for granted in North America. In fact, 79% of global medical device use occurs in only 13% of the world's population. Within Canada, many remote communities experience greater rates of treatable mortality when compared to people living in cities due distance, cost and historical injustices. In low-resource contexts, access to care is cofounded by a myriad of factors including geographic and environmental factors, underdeveloped infrastructure, societal & cultural beliefs, historical unjustness and resource limitations. Medical technological innovation, specifically, frugal innovations, have the potential to solve healthcare inequities by prioritizing the co-creation and development of affordable and culturally suitable medical devices that meet the unique needs of these unique contexts. This presentation will draw upon my experience as a health researcher and innovator (co-founder of MedAtlas) and Program Director of Western's Frugal Biomedical Innovations program, championing collaborative, locally led, health innovation to solve community identified needs in remote and low-resource communities.