Development of a Low-Cost Infusion Rate Monitoring System for Intravenous Drip Control in Rural Hospitals in Niger State

Inaccurate intravenous infusion rates in rural Nigerian hospitals result in fluid overload or under-infusion complications, particularly in paediatric and critically ill patients where electronic infusion pumps are unavailable. This study develops a low-cost infusion rate monitoring and alert system for gravity-driven intravenous drip control in rural hospitals in Niger State. The system uses an infrared LED and photodetector pair placed across the drip chamber of a standard intravenous giving set to detect individual drip fall events. Detected pulses are counted and processed by an Arduino Nano microcontroller using a rolling window algorithm to calculate instantaneous drip rate in drops per minute and corresponding estimated volume flow rate in millilitres per hour based on a 20-drops-per-millilitre standard giving set calibration factor. The calculated flow rate is displayed on a 16x2 LCD and compared against a nurse-programmed target rate. An audible buzzer alarm activates when the actual rate deviates more than fifteen percent from the target rate for sixty seconds, prompting nursing staff adjustment of the roller clamp. Total fabrication cost was below four thousand naira per unit. Laboratory testing confirmed reliable drip detection across drip rates from 10 to 120 drops per minute. Field testing at a rural hospital in Bida LGA over a two-week period demonstrated a significant reduction in rate deviation events compared to visual drip counting by nursing staff. Staff feedback indicated high acceptability and ease of use. The study recommends clinical validation on varied patient populations and fluid types. Keywords: infusion rate monitoring, intravenous drip, low-cost device, rural hospital, Niger State.