Prana Medical

Fewer than 2,000 working ventilators serve hundreds of millions of people in 41 countries across Africa, compared to over 170,000 in the US alone. Prana is a medical device that allows up to four patients to share one noninvasive ventilator safely when resource-constrained hospitals are overwhelmed with patient loads. The device was inspired by a series of interviews with doctors and respiratory therapists in Ghana, Cambodia, Mexico, and India where ventilators are a scarce commodity. Prana harnesses existing ventilator technology by simply plugging into the machine and supporting four patients using one device. Prana’s clever design leverages off-the-shelf, medical-grade parts that plug into each other and connect to the main ventilator unit through its unique four-way splitter. All the components are housed in an enclosure that facilitates rapid assembly and disassembly of parts for maintenance and sterilization. The system can be conceived for less than $1,000 for four patients, compared to traditional noninvasive ventilators that cost $5,000 to $15,000 for only one patient