REACH -Reliable Emergency Access for Community Health

Left: Final stretcher prototype in flat position. Right: Final stretcher prototype in upright position. Photos: Courtesy MIT D-Lab
Left: Final stretcher prototype in flat position. Right: Final stretcher prototype in upright position. Photos: Courtesy MIT D-Lab

Building an off-road stretcher to safely and efficiently transport patients in Langa, South Africa, over long distances and rough terrain to emergency care, using locally sourced materials.

MIT D-Lab class

D-Lab: Design (2.722J / EC.720) - Spring 2025

Country

South Africa

Team 

  • Annica Lam -Mechanical Engineering and Business Management, MIT 2026 
  • Anna Duncan -Mechanical Engineering and Design, MIT 2025J
  • ack Grier -Finance and Mechanical Engineering, MIT 2025
  • Nanticha Ocharoenchai -Graduate Program in Science Writing, MIT 2025
  • Shealy Callahan -Mechanical Engineering, MIT 2026

Community partners

  • MassArt students/2024 D-Lab: Design students
    • Maddie Johnson -Industrial Design, MassArt 2025
    • Michela Galazzi -Industrial Design, MassArt 2025
  • Shonaquip Social Enterprise
  • Public Health Education, Liaison and Advocacy (PHELA) Foundation, Lebo Molete

Mentor

Problem

In South Africa, the public health system is not equipped to serve the entire population due to inadequate infrastructure. There is a clear need for an off-road stretcher that volunteers can use to safely and efficiently transport patients over long distances. This stretcher should be able to handle rough terrain, keep patients safe and comfortable, and be manufacturable using locally sourced materials. It should also be easy to maintain and repair to ensure long-term usability in resource-limited settings.

Cultural context

Langa is a crowded township near Cape Town that has narrow streets, crowded highways, rough terrain as well as dangerous areas often make it difficult or even impossible for ambulances to reach patients in need. But the community is strong and creative, as volunteers have been identified to aid transportation of patients, given that they are provided with a stretcher.

Proposed solution

We’ve built a stretcher that can safely transport patients over long distances of rough terrain –with the convenience and ease of the handler in mind –using materials that can be sourced locally and easily maintained by a local bike shop and community hub in Langa. The stretcher is composed of two parts: 1) a base and 2) a cot. The base consists of a welded frame, attached to three bike wheels and bars for single handlers to lift, push, pull and maneuver. The cot is a welded frame woven with rubber straps from tire inner tubes. Since the main users are local volunteers who aren’t trained medics, the stretcher was designed for simple use and care, with all parts easily repairable and replaceable. 

Prototype video

Close ups of a rolling stretcher.
Left: Final Prototype in sitting positionFinal Prototype in flat positionAdjustable backrest that locks intoplace for sitting position. Right: Removable handles for patient. Photos: Courtesy MIT D-Lab

Next steps

Incorporate the following improvements to a final prototype prior to traveling to South Africa:

  1. Add pelvic, chest, and feet straps
  2. Add back handles for lifting
  3. Make horizontal push handle collapsible
  4. Extend top back on backrest so it does not interfere with a patient’s head
  5. Switch back to vinyl stretcher fabric
  6. Add shear bar for caster wheel

Contact

Ankita Singh or Eliza Squibb, Co-Instructors D-Lab: Design

Topics
D-Lab: Design