Motorcycle Ambulance Trailer – Trials, Tanzania
Developing Technologies is seeking a suitable graduate engineer volunteer for a 3 month placement in Mwanza, Tanzania, starting around September 2016. This is for a project to introduce two motorcycle ambulance-trailers (MATs) to improve access of pregnant women to give birth at rural health centres – an important means of reducing maternity mortality rates. This is a component of a joint project with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the Mwanza Intervention Trials Unit (MITU). The MATs have already been successfully trialled in a project in Zambia with the help of a graduate engineer volunteer [see Dennis,R, Pullen,K, (2015) Improving access to emergency healthcare in sub Saharan Africa. World Transport, Policy and Practice, 21(2) 8-20]
The work involved will be to train a local workshop to manufacture and maintain the MATs. This will require procurement of materials, explanation of drawings and help with measuring out components for cutting, drilling, etc and then assembling these. Good design and manufacturing skills will therefore be needed. Some experience of overseas travel, especially in Africa would also be an advantage.
All expenses for the placement will be paid and good local support will be provided through MITU. If you are interested please contact Ron Dennis (devtech@imperial.ac.uk) with a covering letter explaining your interest and suitability for the placement and your CV please.
