By Ritah Kemigisa.
A Ugandan inventor, 24 year old Brian Gitta has won the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Africa Prize and a 25,000 pound prize in money for inventing a device which tests for malaria without using blood.
The device detects any sign of Malaria by shining a red beam of light on the patient’s finger.
Gitta developed this device, called Matibabu, after blood tests failed to diagnose his own malaria.
Its red beam can detect changes in the color, shape and concentration of red blood cells – all of which are affected by malaria.
Matibabu, which means “treatment” in Swahili, clips onto a patient’s finger and does not require a specialist to operate.
The prize, which was set up in 2014, provides support, funding, mentoring and business training to the winners.
