Giving Compass' Take:

· A new inflatable operating theatre called the Surgibox may be the answer to helping surgeons perform important operations wherever needed, especially in conflict zones. This new invention fits in a backpack, comes with a rechargeable battery, and can be carried just about anywhere. 

· How is technology helping achieve global health? What are some other inventions that have helped contribute to achieving global health? 

· Here's more on the role of technology to achieve global health and other SDGs.


It pops out from a backpack, inflates with a rechargeable battery in less than two minutes, and looks like a float you might find in a swimming pool.

But the Surgibox — a genius invention conceived by Dr. Debbie Lin Teodorescu while she was still at medical school — is actually a portable, inflatable operating theatre that provides a sterilised space for surgeons to work in conflict zones.

And its creator says it’s better than the real thing.

The Telegraph reports that the plastic theatre took seven years to create, six designs to perfect, weighs less than 5kg, and costs just £100.

It can be used for all kinds of operations, but the design works best with chest, abdominal, orthopedic, and pelvic procedures.

For example, if there’s been an earthquake — indeed, the concept was inspired by the challenges faced in Haiti following an earthquake in 2010  — a doctor could use the theatre to treat fractures.

Read the full article about the Surgibox by James Hitchings-Hales at Global Citizen.