Design of a safe needle cutter to properly dispose of injection needles to prevent needlestick injuries among health care workers

Abstract

In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, the need for innovative solutions to enhance safety and efficiency is paramount. The Beck Innovators, a team of Biomedical Engineers committed to advancing healthcare through frugal science, proudly introduces the Safe Needle Cutter, a revolutionary device designed to address the pressing concerns of needlestick injuries and infectious waste management. Needlestick injuries continue to pose a significant threat to healthcare professionals and waste handlers globally, inflicting pain through cuts, worsened by the risk of transmission of blood borne infections such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS and various other health risks. These injuries occur during drawing blood, administering medication but mostly during disposal of used injection needles. This is further attributed to the fewer health care workers, working for long hours and limited experience among residents and interns among other causes. Several solutions have evolved over time for example safety boxes, retractable needles, and safety syringes. However, these solutions are either very expensive over time, not effective, time consuming or have a steep learning curve. This Safe Needle Cutter, on the other hand, is a state-of-the-art device crafted to easily and cheaply cut used injection needles from syringes, significantly reducing the risk of needlestick injuries at the point of generation during common medical procedure such as immunization and during waste disposal. This innovative tool goes beyond mere safety, it seamlessly segregates highly infectious waste from infectious and noninfectious waste, likewise, streamlining waste management processes in healthcare settings. This report elaborates the process of research and development of the device from conceptualization, through prototyping, testing and redesigning to supply chain, intellectual property formulation, business model development and plan for implementation in local health care facilities.