Inspiring Story: This Doctor is Saving Babies by turning Shampoo Bottle into a Lifesaver

There was a time when medicine was considered to be a noble profession but now almost every doctor you come across is only concerned with making money from the patients. We won’t deny that there are some who are more concerned about the life of others than the balance in their bank accounts since we know of Dr Mohammod Jobayer Chisti of Bangladesh. Have you heard about this amazing doctor who turned a shampoo bottle into a lifesaver to help kids fight pneumonia? Want to know about his ingenious invention? Then keep reading.

Back in 1996, Dr Mohammod Jobayer Chisti had his first night as an intern and was on a shift with the registrar when he saw several children succumbing to pneumonia. Feeling helpless after three children dying right in front of his eyes, he promised himself to do something about this problem and save the lives of helpless infants.

He was working in Melbourne when he came across a piece of equipment that used continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) to prevent lungs from collapsing. The machine was expensive, and they needed a much cheaper alternative for it, so he took inspiration from it and decided to create something by himself. Dr Mohammod Jobayer Chisti and one of his colleagues took a discarded plastic shampoo bottle from the ICU and turned it into equipment that could help children breathe even with lowered lung capacity due to pneumonia.

Testing their invention on four to five patients at random, they found significant improvement within just hours of treatment. A two-year study indicated that the device could cut the mortality rate in children by up to 75 percent. It also makes more efficient use of oxygen by cutting hospital’s annual expenditure on oxygen from USD 30000 to merely USD 6000.

In poverty-ridden Bangladesh where many hospitals, especially those in the rural areas, cannot afford proper equipment, Dr Mohammod Jobayer Chisti’s invention has helped save hundreds of lives. While a ventilator costs around USD 15000 and needs to be operated by trained staff, adding to the cost, the tool developed by the doctor costs just over USD 1. It is especially proven to be a lifesaver for the poor children whose families cannot even afford expensive treatments.

To know more about Dr Mohammod Jobayer Chisti and his phenomenal invention?