A group of 16 students from Kenyatta University have developed a ventilator as the country steps up efforts to combat coronavirus.
The ventilators can be produced at Sh500,000 and the university has the capacity to produce 50 units per week.
The initiative is a collaboration among students from the engineering, nursing, medicine and pharmacy schools.
The development comes as Kenya today recorded two new Covid-19 cases, raising the number to 191.
To date, a total of 24 people have recovered from the disease, while seven have died.
The ventilator was driven by engineering school dean Dr Shadrack Mambo and Prof Nicholas Gikonyo, who is the chairman of the Chandaria Business Innovation and Incubation Centre, where the project is housed.
KU has filed for patent with the Kenya Industrial Property Institute.
All the materials used for the prototype were locally sourced.
Industrialisation CS Betty Maina and KU vice chancellor Prof Paul Wainaina attended the launch of the prototype on Saturday.
Kenya has also stepped up efforts to produce face masks and PPEs.
Maina had said the masks should not retail for more than Sh20.
