Clinela Solar Bag

Lack of electricity is a significant challenge for health care workers globally and in Uganda, 55% of facilities have no access to light and power. 

In many rural areas across the developing world child delivery very often takes place in the dark or by means of torch lights and mobile phone lighting, whilst a large proportion of women do not have the possibility to receive a caesarean section in emergency cases. Midwives and doctors struggle in near-darkness unable to detect life-threatening conditions like abnormal heart rate of the baby, Perinatal asphyxia, Shoulder dystocia, excessive bleeding, obstructed labor (where a cesarean section is required).

Clinela Solar Bag is designed as a safe, easy-to-use, rugged solar technology for health workers in challenging environments empowering them with ability to save the life of the baby by providing reliable light and energy to power vital medical equipment like fetal monitor,microscope and ultrasound machine

Lack of electricity is a significant challenge for health care workers globally and in Uganda, 55% of facilities have no access to light and power. This missing light has direct implications for the health of Pregnant women and Newborn children in the surrounding communities.

In many rural areas across the developing world child delivery very often takes place in the dark or by means of torch lights and mobile phone lighting, whilst a large proportion of women do not have the possibility to receive a caesarean section in emergency cases. Midwives and doctors struggle in near-darkness unable to detect life-threatening conditions like abnormal heart rate of the baby, Perinatal asphyxia, Shoulder dystocia, excessive bleeding, obstructed labor (where a cesarean section is required).

Midwives often choose to go home when it gets dark because it is so difficult to work without light and pregnant women who go to health centers at night only to find them empty choose not to return and instead give birth at home where minor complications can be deadly.

Consistent electricity is pivotal to enable basic lighting, mobile phone charging for communications, power medical equipments

Clinela Solar Bag is a customized component that offers quality obstetric care in energy-poor regions of Uganda, where hundreds of public health centers lack electricity.

The Customized Solar Bag provides sustainable energy for around the clock bright medical lighting, phone charging, and fetal monitoring enabling health workers in even the most remote, low-resource settings to have a rugged, long-lasting, and institutional-grade solar electric system, optimized for childbirth and emergency surgical procedures.

This empowers them to provide safer, timely, and more effective routine childbirth, and better treatment of the major life-threatening complications including Abnormal heart rate of the baby, Perinatal asphyxia, Shoulder dystocia, Excessive bleeding, obstructed labor (where a cesarean section is required).

The solar bag comes with a Plug-and-Play, easy to use, friendly user-interface

• A Pre-wired system which features over current protection & sealed battery
• A 5 hours Medical/surgical LED lights and fetal Doppler with fetal Doppler battery charger
• A waterproof, break-resistant lights and connectors, long lasting in-built battery
• A Rugged bag design which enables permanent installation or mobile use in emergency situations
• Remote monitoring capability which improves technical support

The Solar Bag allows health workers to have a robust, long-lasting and institutionally-grade solar electrical system optimized for medical and surgical procedures in even the most remote, low-resource settings.

 High-quality components like rechargeable fetal Doppler, headlamps, and emergency response settings are optimized for public  health institutionsThe solar bag  improves the lives of families living in under-resourced communities through improved access to safe childbirth services. 

Clinela  Solar Bag will improve the lives of thousands of health workers in 50 off-grid Public health facilities in Uganda, improve their working conditions and obstetric care quality, enhance the lives of over 3000  families living in under-resourced communities by enhancing access to safe childbirth services.

According to the study we carried out,After pilot stage with the prototype in five districts of Uganda(Gomba,Nakaseke,Nakasongola,Butambala and Ntungamo),it showed improvements in quality and provision of care, including fewer perinatal deaths(68%), a reduction of child mortality and an increase in deliveries at skilled health facilities(65%)

Our second priority is to upgrade the Bag and improve maternity care by using the solar Bag  to be able to power(1) portable ultrasound machines, (2) fetal monitors, (3) Vaccine Refrigerator, (4) Oxygen Concentrator

Bright medical lights and essential medical equipment are necessary to save newborn lives and their mothers. Clinela Solar Bag enables clinicians to conduct critical care and handle obstetric emergencies without delay. 

The rechargeable fetal Doppler enables midwives to accurately monitor fetal well-being during labor. Patients with fetal distress can be referred for cesarean sections. In the delivery/labor room, solar lights enable accurate APGAR score, weights, and administration of any necessary medication (including vaccines and Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission drugs). 

Neonatal resuscitation is improved under the Solar Bag medical lights. 

Clinela Solar makes solar power simple and accessible to clinicians. The consequences of sporadic electricity on obstetric care are tragic. Childbearing mothers and newborns fail to receive timely emergency care. Midwives and doctors struggle in near-darkness unable to detect life-threatening conditions or provide necessary services sometimes postponing or canceling critical procedures. The Solar Bag was designed as a safe, easy-to-use, rugged solar technology for health workers in challenging environments. We used human-design principles and  field testing in Uganda with prototypes  to refine the design of our technology and our programs.

Our technology innovation is a robust, institutional-grade solar electric system that provides bright medical lighting and 12VDC power, enabling clinicians to conduct medical procedures, charge cell phones, and power other medical devices. Our newest design incorporates feedback from health workers and features improved functionality, a simplified user-interface, and greater ease-of-use. 

We have education programs to empower local health workers and technicians.We train clinicians to use solar electricity and medical devices (i.e. fetal Doppler). We train cold-chain technicians to install, operate and maintain our systems, using Clinela Girl Power  Ambassadors to disseminate our programs. 

Our technology innovation is a robust, institutional-grade solar electric system that provides bright medical lighting and 12VDC power, enabling clinicians to conduct medical procedures, charge cell phones, and power other medical devices. Our  design incorporates feedback from health workers and features improved functionality, a simplified user-interface, and greater ease-of-use.

The solar bag comes with a Plug-and-Play, easy to use, friendly user-interface
A Pre-wired system which features over current protection & sealed battery
A 5 hours Medical/surgical LED lights and fetal Doppler with fetal Doppler battery charger
A waterproof, break-resistant lights and connectors, long lasting in-built battery
A Rugged bag design which enables permanent installation or mobile use in emergency situations
Remote monitoring capability which improves technical support

Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest maternal mortality rate in the world. Many of these deaths stem from preventable causes, but poverty, distance from medical facilities, and lack of adequate medical services contribute to the high rates of maternal mortality

Giving birth in a rural community after dark — without a stable source of electricity in the delivery room can add further complications to the birthing and delivery process. But with access to solar energy, women are able to give birth in safer conditions-(https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/solar-power-health-africa)

Components of the Bag.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIYIV7E8les&t=27s

Testimony from a mother:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRXC1jWMExw&t=1s

Clinela Solar is unique in solving energy-poverty in last-mile health centers by equipping maternity wards with institutional-grade, robust and durable solar systems which are designed and built for use in remote and harsh environments.

The Solar Bag will enhance the working conditions of Doctors and Midwives and improve the quality of their obstetric care. From the pilot study conducted with the prototypes,Clinicians report greater confidence, improved morale and greater safety at work. They can provide timely and effective routine and emergency care, monitor fetal well being, make emergency referrals, and conduct emergency surgeries. There is a 68% fewer perinatal deaths, 51% reduction of maternal mortality and a,79% increase in deliveries at skilled health facilities.

In the next five years,Clinela Solar will  improve the lives of more than one million families living in under resourced communities through improved access to safe childbirth services.

Through our research,we noticed that Midwives are fearful of working in darkness. Expectant mothers in off-grid regions avoid skilled care because (1) they are afraid of going to darkened health centers and (2) they cannot afford to pay for candles or kerosene demanded by midwives in darkened facilities. We have documentation of midwives who have turned away patients who don’t bring their own lighting sources to the health center. Energy access means that health facilities can provide around-the-clock care, and lack of electricity is no longer a barrier to obstetric care. It increases the morale of health workers and the uptake of skilled care by mothers

Since 2018 December, we have installed 5 prototype Clinela Solar Bags in the above districts .The solar bag has improved the lives of more than 1000 mothers and children living in under resourced communities through improved access to safe childbirth services.

We have also trained 100 health workers in our technology use and proper installation

We have trained 10 Clinela Girl Power ambassadors to champion the project and be trainers of trainees, install the bag and do the maintenance

In the next five years we anticipate to serve 50 off-grid public maternity centers with clinela solar bags and this will serve over 50,000 people both mothers and children and over one million community members.

Our model of delivery is in three phases:

 1: Get Power to Public Off-grid health centers with maternity services.

 Our initial priority is to finalize the robust field testing with the prototype in the five districts of Uganda (Gomba, Mpigi, Ntungamo, Nakaseke and Butambala) which are under difficult remote clinic conditions and data is being collected concerning the impact of improved lighting and communication on childbirth outcomes, pregnant mothers’ turnover, and staff acceptance

 2: Our second priority is to further improve maternity care by using the solar Bag as a platform for powering (1) portable ultrasound machines, (2) fetal monitors, (3) Vaccine Refrigerator, (4) Oxygen Concentrator (5) computers and (6) educational videos to teach health care workers life-saving techniques for the newborn and the mother and this is within the next five years.

 3: Build capacity for solar Bag manufacturing, distribution and scaleup

Our last objective is to scale up to meet demand. Right now, we want to meet with manufacturers to assess how we can produce and distribute solar Bags in the short term in off-grid health centers

We face a number of challenges including the following:

Economic risk-Because there is No functional market

Political risk-High taxes for the imported parts for the device affect the business

Technology costs versus customer budgets- solar power can offer a better, cleaner and more reliable power source for the same price as customers’ current energy costs. The challenge is to create a business model that can align daily costs to customers’ existing energy budgets

Accessibility of off grid customers-reaching the off-grid population even with such an affordable pay-to-own business model comes with its own challenges

Economic challenge:Because there is No functional market and we are diversifying for more philanthropic support and more business/Market resilience.

Political challenge: High taxes for the imported parts for the device affect the business but we are into negotiation with the Uganda Revenue Authority and Government of Uganda in general to do a waiving of import duty

 Technology costs versus customer budgets: solar power can offer a better, cleaner and more reliable power source for the same price as customers’ current energy costs. The challenge is to create a business model that can align daily costs to customers’ existing energy budgets. Our solution is to offer the technology on a lease-to-own model, so that maternity centers  cover the cost of a solar unit in more affordable  installments 

Accessibility of off grid customers: reaching the off-grid population even with such an affordable pay-to-own business model comes with its own challenges,our solution is the ability to offer credit to our customers and Without it, access to solar technology would not be possible. Further partnership is sought so that we can offer credit  opportunities to support customers’ power demands over their life time.
Poor perception of solar power: poor quality products have spoiled the market. The negative perception makes it hard for those with good intentions to enter.At Clinela Solar for example, we’ve worked hard to develop an interactive feedback loop. Findings from the market are continually passed back to engineers  to make the best possible solution for the customer.

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We have 4 full-time employees and 10 part-time employees,2 contractors 

The following are the full-time employees 

1.Dr.Mukisa.Emmanuel 

2.Ms.Apofia.Fiona 

3.Dr.Frank.Gahima.

4.Mr.Amon.Nyesigye

The following are the full-time employees,roles and expertise

1.Dr.Mukisa.Emmanuel is a medical doctor with over seven years of working in remote health centers. He is the founder of the project and the executive director.

2.Ms.Apofia.Fiona is a Lecturer at Makerere University Business School-Entrepreneurship and Small Businesses. She has a diverse knowledge of business and marketing.She works as the business development manager 

3.Dr.Frank.Gahima, a consultant pathologist with over ten years of clinical experience, he is the Project Coordinator.

4.Mr.Amon.Nyesigye is our Project engineer and architect of the Solar bag.

We work closely with Tony Elumelu Foundation as our funders with seed capital and ongoing business training and mentorship.

We also work with Makerere University Business School-Department of Entrepreneurship and Incubation Hub,International Youth Foundation and American Express Leadership Academy for incubation and Mentorship

The business model is through a system called lease-to-own payment plan, meaning that customers make payments for a defined lease length and then they own the bag rather than continuing to make payments forever. We do this by reaching out to the leadership of the off-grid public health centers and educate them about the advantages of the solar bag then take them through the cost-effective payment model by asking them to subscribe some money  per month for 24 months and get full ownership. 

This inclusive price point is the most affordable lease-to-own Clinela solar bag compared to other expensive products on the market

Whereas the design is unique and customized, we continue to innovate and make the solar bag stand out through collaboration with other solar industry experts and companies.

Our business model is through a lease-to-own payment plan, whereby customers make partial-payments for a defined lease length as they use the Solar Bag and then own it after completion of payment. We do this by reaching out to the management of these off-grid public health centers and educate them about the advantages of the solar Bag especially in reducing maternal and child mortality. This inclusive price point is the most affordable lease-to-own Clinela solar bag compared to other expensive products on the market

We continue to seek for partnership and funding from investors and philanthropists to help us reduce maternal and child mortality in off-grid communities of the world.

I chose to go to participate in the programme because I like being part of a diverse community of entrepreneurs, innovators and global platform to showcase my project and get to connect with like-minded people.

The world is a big place, and I thought attending a big platform like this one would better prepare me for life in the real world of business

Get training and mentorship concerning Business model directly to my form of business.how to raise funding and marketing of the business

We seek partnership from Philanthropists,angel investors,Governments and telecom companies

Clinela Solar Bag is a mobile rugged solar electric system that can be used in energy poverty communities and refugees are part of those communities.

We shall use the funding to customize the Solar Bag in relation to refugees ultimately providing reliable energy and light even in the health centers found in the refugee camps

The prize will help us,

(1)deepen our presence and get additional capabilities on the ground; and substantially increase our capacity to deliver more Solar bags to last-mile health facilities providing obstetric care in off-grid communities

(2) Strengthen local capacity through our Train-the-Trainer programs,
(3) Ensure sustainability by providing a coordinated technical support program, and
(4) Engage More stake holders by championing the campaign of 'Every Mother Matter" among local policymakers and agencies.
The grant/fund will be an instrumental catalyst in making this vision of safe childbirth for all realized.

The prize will help us,

(1)deepen our presence and get additional capabilities on the ground; and substantially increase our capacity to deliver more Solar bags to last-mile health facilities providing obstetric care in off-grid communities

(2) Strengthen local capacity through our Train-the-Trainer programs, (3) Ensure sustainability by providing a coordinated technical support program, and (4) Engage More stake holders by championing the campaign of 'Every Mother Matter" among local policymakers and agencies. The grant/fund will be an instrumental catalyst in making this vision of safe childbirth for all realized.