Product/Service Development

Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) is a powerful low-cost innovation that can avert 450,000 preterm deaths globally with near universal coverage, besides long-term health and socioeconomic benefits for all recipients.Our innovation – The Kangaroo Lounge Ecosystem – is a scalable model that integrates multiple systemic components critical for ensuring high coverage of high-quality & respectful KMC within a large, imperfect health system.

KadAfrica is an innovative agribusiness that uses passion fruit farming to empower out of school girls in Western Uganda. Our innovation “The KadAfrica Experience" provides an end-to-end business solution for girls to become less vulnerable and participate in their local economies. The innovation equips girls with knowledge, skills, and assets to begin their own farms, and they become entrepreneurial leaders generating income through agribusiness.

The project aims to develop an assay/test to measure the activity of antimalarial drugs on the transmission of the malaria parasite. This innovative work is anticipated to be a useful addition to the current tools for drug discovery and to support the malaria eradication agenda

There is a compelling need for the development of new drugs for trematode infections since current drugs are often ineffective and/or have widespread resistance. Drug repurposing which is advantageous in fast-tracking compounds into clinical studies is a promising drug discovery approach. Edwin’s research involves the application of computational biology in the drug repurposing of kinase inhibitors as new therapies for trematode infections

Binyam Chakilu of University of Gondar in Ethiopia will develop the eAmbulance program system using existing ambulances and private cars to transport expectant pregnant mothers from remote areas to the health facility on time, helping to reduce maternal and early child morbidity and mortality through creation of a new business model where GPS and low-cost mobile phones will be used to efficiently manage the system.

Andergechew Mulu of Armauer Hansen Research Institute in Ethiopia will develop an in-house HIV-1 drug resistance assay for Integrase Strand Transfer Inhibitors (INSTIs) that will be equivalent to the standard FDA-approved commercialized assays and available at low-cost for HIV care in Ethiopia.

Shimals Nigusse of Alert Center in Ethiopia will develop a system of telemedicine using video conferencing technology to provide consultation services for the health workers working at remote health facilities on TB and HIV cases to improve access and quality of TB and HIV services.

Habitamu Abafogi of Jimma University in Ethiopia will develop an infant warmer for jaundice treatment, with similar technical characteristics of products currently available in the market but four times lower in cost, that can be used to reach health facilities in remote areas without restrictions due to power sources and are less complicated and easier to use, transport, manipulate, install, troubleshoot, and replace main parts for.

Rediet Adamu of Jima University in Ethiopia will develop a system of Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled fetal and maternal care follow-up and vital sign monitoring and alerting, leveraging sensors with microcontrollers and wireless communication in real-time to improve the quality of service for mothers in labor and to save fetal lives though timely management action.

Abel Worku of Jimma University in Ethiopia will develop a prototype of an improved compound light microscope using digital image processing and monochromatic light sources that will improve the quality of laboratory services.