Amid high demand for ventilators globally due to the coronavirus pandemic, a group of Kenyatta University students has developed a prototype of a ventilator using locally sourced materials.
The 16 learners drawn from the faculties of engineering, pharmacy, medicine, and nursing made the machine in seven days under the tutelage of their lecturers.
Industrialization Cabinet Secretary Betty Maina and other government officials visited Kenyatta University on Friday to look at the innovation, which is yet to receive approval from the Health Ministry.
Kenyatta University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Paul Wainaina said the ventilator can be used by Covid-19 patients and others who are in dire need of oxygen.
He said the institution will be able to produce 50 ventilators per week if the prototype is approved this week.
The team embarked on the project after reports of a global shortage of ventilators with developed countries such as the United States and Italy being overwhelmed by the high number of Covid-19 patients requiring breathing support.
Kenya presently has less than 300 ventilators with over half of them already in use by patients with other respiratory conditions, according to reports.
Covid-19 attacks the lungs hence a ventilator is essential in managing patients who are in critical condition.
With the Health Ministry projecting a rise in the number of Covid-19 infections in the country in the coming weeks, it is no brainer that Kenya needs to have enough stock of ventilators.
So far Kenya has recorded 191 cases of the illness, with 24 of the recovering and seven losing their lives.
The curse of the African…
The curse of the African Continent is its corrupt politicians!! All money stolen by waiguru, Ruto & others are enough to develop and support the gifted people of kenya! PROUD of these folks!! We have what it takes to compete with the world in innovation only if we had a functional government! ???
Uhuru should suspend his…
Uhuru should suspend his easter holiday and by executive order approve the ventilator and issue a patent to the developers. After that the mass production should be fast tracked. There is high demand worldwide.
I think this is kinda OK…
I think this is kinda OK. however, why do Africans have to wait for the sun to shine to lay out and enjoy it? this things could have been done long ago and they wouldn’t be scrambling to catch up with the rest of the world. unfortunately, africans wait for problems to arise before doing the thinking. just like uhuru, they never expected this would happen years down the line and the poor folk they have been stealing from couldn’t afford to stay home as they somehow have to eat. africans need to wake up ASAP
Why? The answer is simple!…
Why? The answer is simple! Its because of lack of funding from our corrupt governments. Africans are always reactive than being proactive. We are cursed coz as citizens of kenya, we have never come together to fight this elephant in the house – CORRUPTION. I hope Corona will humble our politicians coz this time now, they can’t fly abroad for further treatment.
Congratulations as long as…
Congratulations as long as it does the job that way we do not have to bow down to the evil Chinese and racist developed countries.God help us let us not see the kind of numbers being witnessed in the USA over 700 dead in a day.Let us prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
Congratulations! I hope it’s…
Congratulations! I hope it’s approved. Not time to blame or point fingers… time to build and encourage each other…