Tuberculosis, which has also been identified as consumption, is the infection of mycobacteria inside the body, most particularly the lungs and internal organs. The illness causes rapid weight-loss, night fevers, and a violent cough with blood-soaked sputum.  Today, despite modern medicine, it still kills. In 2013 between one and two million people had died from the illness, most in developing companies (Source: WHO). A few students have created a game that focuses on educating users on the disease, dubbed Sanitarium.

For students at the university of Saint Andrews, Sanitarium isn’t just a game but an important step into the research and treatment of Tuberculosis. In Sanitarium, players are tasked with the treatment of various TB patients around the world. Players have limited resources and must apply them wisely to save as many lives as they can. Player will face difficult decisions that will affect their patients, as well as their team. Life and death will matter. Players will also need sharp wits to treat the patients via minigames.

A group of students from Abertay University have formed Radication Games in an effort to take the disease and their research into the virtual world. Working together with Saint Andrews, The game will run on a real-life algorithm that Saint Andrews has developed. The mathematical model will determine where and how Tuberculosis is spread through areas in the world of the game. It is through this that players, as well as fellow researchers, will be able to acquire data to host real-life clinical trials and continue the fight against the illness.

The game is a work-in-progress, however it can be downloaded here via the developer’s official website.