Hundreds if not thousands of innovative tools, models and approaches are being formed and piloted in the development and humanitarian field, particularly in the health sector.
This can come in the form of a new facility, like the pandemic emergency facility World Bank President Jim Yong Kim discussed in January before Georgetown University students and faculty; a vaccine that could treat and prevent the spread of diseases like Japanese encephalitis or Ebola; a drug that can be taken in one dose and therefore potentially raise patient adherence; a physical tool like the reimagined personal protective equipment for health care workers battling Ebola on the front lines; or a software application that provides health-related information, such as First Aid by the American Red Cross.
But innovations don’t always have to be new, or grand. Sometimes, the idea is already there and people just need to find ways to adapt it to a new context or sector, or adjust their approach.
About the author
Jenny Lei Ravelo@JennyLeiRavelo
Jenny Lei Ravelo is a Devex Senior Reporter based in Manila. She covers global health, with a particular focus on the World Health Organization, and other development and humanitarian aid trends in Asia Pacific. Prior to Devex, she wrote for ABS-CBN, one of the largest broadcasting networks in the Philippines, and was a copy editor for various international scientific journals. She received her journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas.
