This archive report was first published on 7 August 2020.
Kenyan Innovator Creates Ventilator and Spraying Booth ¶
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to spread, a Kenyan artisan has come up with innovative solutions to help combat the crisis. In Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, Mr. Stanley Ng'ang'a, a 38-year-old artisan, has created a ventilator and a spraying booth.
Mr. Ng'ang'a, who is also a diver, borrowed ideas from diving equipment to create the ventilator. The machine uses natural air and is powered by a 12-volt motorcycle battery, which can also be powered by electricity. When it is switched on, the rotation of the mortar causes consistent contraction of the rubber diaphragm, which eventually pumps air in and out of the lungs.
Mr. Ng'ang'a used materials worth Sh3,000 to make the ventilator, which weighs 13kg and fits into a stainless steel box. He claims that his ventilator is simple and easy to use, requiring minimal resources to produce, unlike ventilators in ICU facilities, which are complex and expensive.
However, the challenge for Mr. Ng'ang'a is getting approvals to produce the respiratory machine. He is requesting the government to send experts to assess the ventilator, then if he gets approval, he can produce it for hospitals.
Mr. Ng'ang'a also created a spraying booth, which uses electricity to disinfect medics. The machine is made up of conduit pipes fitted with 18 nozzles and a motor that is fixed to a container. The container has chemicals for disinfection and has the capacity for back flow in case the pressure is high.
Mr. Ng'ang'a says that being an expert in spraying for over 20 years enabled him to put together the machine, which he said he only used Sh10,000 to make. He believes that artisans have numerous innovations which, if boosted, could solve many challenges.
Mr. Ng'ang'a is planning to visit the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) to have his inventions evaluated. He is requesting the government to support jua kali people and the issue of importing certain things will no longer exist.
