Design of a Portable Phototherapy Unit for Neonatal Jaundice Treatment in Low-Resource Hospitals in Benue State

Neonatal jaundice is a common and potentially fatal condition if untreated, and access to phototherapy units in district and cottage hospitals in Benue State is severely limited due to the cost of commercial devices and unreliable power supply. This study designs a portable, solar-powered phototherapy unit for neonatal jaundice treatment in low-resource hospitals in Benue State. The design employs a 460 to 490 nanometre blue LED array mounted on an adjustable gooseneck arm, delivering an irradiance of greater than 30 microwatts per square centimetre per nanometre at thirty centimetres treatment distance, meeting the American Academy of Pediatrics intensive phototherapy threshold. The power system integrates a 20-watt solar panel, a 12-volt 7-ampere-hour sealed lead-acid battery, and a charge controller, providing a minimum of eight hours of continuous operation without grid power. A calibrated irradiance sensor provides real-time display of effective dose delivery on a digital readout. Thermal management was addressed through a passive heatsink design validated to maintain LED junction temperature below 60 degrees Celsius under worst-case ambient conditions. Material and component costs were estimated at under thirty thousand naira per unit. Prototype bench testing confirmed compliance with IEC 60601-1 electrical safety criteria for patient-adjacent devices. Field testing at a cottage hospital in Gboko LGA assessed clinical use feasibility over a two-week period, with nursing staff feedback indicating acceptable usability. The study recommends clinical efficacy validation comparing bilirubin reduction rates with standard commercial phototherapy units. Keywords: phototherapy, neonatal jaundice, solar-powered, low-resource hospital, Benue State.