In Rwanda, hospital’s design keeps fresh air in mind

New York Times, August 19, 2008

In the dark corridors and congested waiting rooms of rural hospitals in sub-Saharan Africa, tuberculosis can spread easily. Now several global health aid groups have been trying not only to contain and treat recalcitrant infectious diseases, but also to promote new ways of building hospitals in the world's poorest rural areas. Builders recently broke ground on a new hospital in Rwanda, and its design relies on simple features to reduce the spread of airborne disease. They include outdoor walkways instead of enclosed halls, waiting rooms alfresco, and large windows staggered at different levels on opposing walls to keep air circulating.