As part of the GCRF project titled “Harmonization of medical devices regulation among Sub-Saharan African Regions and Europe”, Dr Leandro Pecchia supported the organization of the 8th ABEC (African Biomedical Engineering Consortium) Design School, which was held at Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI), Kampala, Uganda from 7th to 11th October 2019. The School was co-organized in collaboration with the UNECA (United Nations Economic Commission for Africa), the University of Pisa, University of Columbia, UIRI, Makerere University, Kenyatta University and the University of Warwick.

Davide Piaggio and Mahir Taher, respectively a PhD and a BSc student from the ABSPIE (Applied Biomedical Signal Processing Intelligent eHealth) Lab represented the University of Warwick.

The aim of the school was to build on multidisciplinary knowledge, combining engineering and medicine paradigms, to design prototypes of medical devices, tackling global challenges associated with surgical practice, obstetrics and anesthesia with an emphasis on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

The project, presented by Mahir Taher under the supervision of Davide Piaggio and Leandro Pecchia, regards a phototherapy vest for the treatment of jaundice in newborns in LMICs. The project was shortlisted along with other 39 to take part to the design school. Davide Piaggio was also accepted as one of the mentors working and was require to support the students with his expertise. Leveraging on this opportunity, he has also run a field study in 3 Uganda hospitals in collaboration with Licia Di Pietro, a PhD student from the University of Pisa, performing electric safety measures on medical devices.