KAMPALA- Makerere University Vice-Chancellor Prof Barnabus Nawangwe has revealed that the university hospital will start testing for coronavirus.
He made the remarks via an online address to the media on April 21, 2020.
According to Mr Nawangwe, they have received 40,000 Covid19 testing kits through their research collaboration with Case Western Reserve University in the United States.
“We are developing an affordable (costing < US$1), easy to use (requiring minimal expertise, user guide), rapid (yielding results within 2-5 minutes) POC test platform for COVID19 suited for use within remote equatorial African settings,” he told the press.
He added that the team from the college of health sciences, college of engineering and technology, Resilient Africa Network, and Kiira motors developed a low-cost ventilator.
“The team successfully conducted an engineering test of the ventilator on April 10, 2020, and it is now undergoing various validation tests before applying to the National Drug Authority and other certifying agencies for use on patients,” he said.
Mr Nawangwe further noted that the ventilator will considerably lower the cost of this very important facility from the current cost on the open international market, which ranges between USD 25,000 and 60,000.
“Development of the ventilator, which will cost approximately USD 5,000 is expected to be completed in the next four to eight weeks,” he revealed.
