This archive report was first published on 23 April 2020.
On April 23, 2020, Kenya took a significant step in the fight against COVID-19 by announcing plans to mass produce ventilators. The Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) unveiled the prototype of a locally developed ventilator, dubbed PumuaIshi 2.0.
The ventilator, designed to provide intermittent positive-pressure ventilation (IPPV), can operate continuously for up to four hours without power. According to Niraj Hirani, the association's automotive sector chairman, mass production is expected to begin within two to four weeks, with the country aiming to produce 100 ventilators daily and 500 weekly.
Other institutions involved in the mass production include Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (DeKUT), Kenyatta University, and the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute. The development of PumuaIshi 2.0 is a significant milestone in Kenya's efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
