HTC Challenge Identification

During the first half of 2008, the Humanitarian Technology Challenge (HTC) conducted focus groups with representatives – including field workers – of ten humanitarian organizations.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

• Humanitarian Foundations and Advisory Organizations, San Francisco, California, USA
  • Fritz Institute
  • Google Foundation
  • InSTEDD
  • Manatt Health Solutions
  • New Field Foundation
  • Seva Foundation
  • World Neighbors

• Pan American Health Organization, Washington, D.C., USA

• World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland

As a result of these focus groups, HTC has identified 37 humanitarian needs.
They are organized into nine categories:

• Communications
• Data collection
• Electronic medical records
• Operations and maintenance
• Power
• Sensors and contamination
• Supply management and logistics
• Telemedicine
• Training

Of these 37 humanitarians needs/challenges, three specific challenges will be selected for initial focus.