Africa innovates Magazine -AI4DEV - Flipbook - Page 70
AFRICA INNOVATES
S I M O N N D I R A N G U ( Ke n y a )
LO W C O S T , L E S S E VA S I V E T E S T I N G S WA B S
Biotechnology student Simon Ndirangu, is the brains behind
the country’s much-talked about low-cost, mass-produced coronavirus nasal swabs. Using 3-D printing, Simon’s innovation,
has the potential to produce 100,000 of these less invasive
swabs per day, with each costing less than a dollar!
Simon Ndirangu, a fourth-year biotechnology
student at Kenyatta University, has come up
with a 3-D printed nasal swab, an essential
tool in the testing of COVID-19. “The swabs
are made using ABS (acrynitrile butadiene
styrene) material which is common thermoplastic polymer used in food packaging, toys
and home appliances,” Simon says
photo: Shutterstock.com
S H O RTA G E O F
T E S T I N G S WA B S
Simon’s invention came at a time when the
Kenyan government had sounded the alarm
over the shortage of testing swabs. According to Simon, his invention can produce
3,000 swabs a day. The swabs are priced for
as little as $1 granting the country a crucial
advantage in the pandemic fight.
70 SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION
