This archive report was first published on 7 May 2020.
On May 7, 2020, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (Jkuat) joined the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic by unveiling several innovative solutions.
The university has developed two portable solar-powered ventilators that use a 12V battery, a contact tracing application, a digital system that predicts Covid-19 infection trends in Kenya, and an automatic solar-powered hand-washing machine.
According to Karanja Kabini, a mechatronics engineer and one of the innovators, the ventilators are highly reliable and can operate for two weeks without maintenance. 'It has a control panel that can vary the breathing rate, an operator that can increase or reduce the amount of oxygen, and it can be used by adults and children,' Mr. Kabini explained.
The ventilators are also lightweight and easy to transport, making them ideal for use in remote areas.
Prof. Victoria Ngumi, the Vice-Chancellor of Jkuat, described the developments as a huge breakthrough in the country's war against the coronavirus. 'The university's engineering department has the capacity to produce 10 ventilators weekly, a boost for Kenya which has a shortage,' she said.
Students Victor Muthembwa, Boniface Bundi, and Crispus Nyaberi developed the Contact Tracing and Case Management App, which has been upgraded to include triage and case management functions. 'The app has been upgraded to include triage and case management functions that resolve the cumbersome nature of manual recording currently being used in most parts of the country,' Mr. Bundi said.
President Uhuru Kenyatta recently lauded Kenyans for their innovations, saying his government was committed to partnering with them for their maximum use.
