Ugandan inventor and Computer Scientist Brian Gitta has won the prestigious Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation worth $25,000 (about UGX90m) for his malaria detection device.
Gitta and other 3 developers invented a device called Matibabu in 2013 that detects for Malaria within 60 seconds without drawing blood.
Matibabu means a medical centre in Swahili.
He beat three other African inventors from Ghana, Nigeria and Zimbabwe who were part of challenge aimed at providing engineering innovations that provide new solutions.
The four finalists were selected from a pool of 16 participants from seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
How Matibabu works
Matibabu is a low cost reusable device that detects for malaria.
The device tests for the infectious disease quickly, accurately and without drawing blood in 60 seconds and no special expertise is required to use the device -- meaning anyone can use it.
The device clips onto the specimen's finger and a red beam of laser light reflects on the finger to detect any changes in shape, colour and concentration of red blood cells which are affected by malaria.
Uganda has the sixth highest number of annual deaths from malaria in Africa, as well as some of the highest reported malaria transmission rates in the world, with approximately 16 million cases reported in 2013 and over 10,500 deaths annually, according to National Malaria Control Program
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