Function

This monthly refillable HIV/AIDS Medical Kit improves the lives of rural Africans. It contains 12 nutritional bars for when food is scarce, aspirins for side-effects, vitamins, a month of antiretroviral drugs, and a portable timing device. There are 4 containers of ARV drugs, each with a weeks worth of pills. These containers fit in the timing device which will indicate when to take the pills. After intake, the timer is reset. The device carries a drug container, a packet of food, vitamins and aspirins. The empty drug container is replaced weekly. It’s function creates hope for the future and creates jobs for Africans making the kits from afforable materials. People won’t travel as much to clinics for pills but still get all that they need. By a quiet vibration and an indicator that changes color, the device is descrete therefore avoiding Stigma. Carrying the timing device daily allows the user to take their pills at the right hour and adhere to their prescribed drug amount.

Inspiration

As HIV/AIDS is the epidemic of my generation, I feel the responsibility to try and control the increasing spread of it. I volunteer for the Stop AIDS organization in Cincinnati, Ohio, and I have met a great number of people who are affected by this epidemic. Education, I feel, is the key to overcoming it eventually. But for right now, there is great need to deal with it. I became inspired to create a physical product that would improve the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS and also give them hope for a brighter future—because people can live with HIV, as long as they control it. My product targets people who live in Africa, the place with the highest rate of HIV infected people, helping them adhere to their medications, and to ultimately control the epidemic and help others live easier lives.

Development

Through my research I recruited information from a Peace Corp member, currently in Swaziland, my Stop AIDS organization, and found statistics on Africa. I learned more and more as I went: that food is sometimes needed with medications; that health and nutrition is essential; and there are bad side effects sometimes with the pills. Finding out information like this helped me create a kit and timing device that would assist most needs. I then produced several mock ups and tests to get the right size, shape and how best to store the pills and food. Through mock ups I also explored the cheapest way this kit and portable timing device could be produced.