COVID-19: Kenyan students develop respirator

Students from the Kenyatta University in Kenya have developed the Tiba Vent, a respirator which they hope can save lives and money in the battle against COVID-19.

It is meant to solve the shortage of the equipment needed to treat patients who are most seriously affected by the virus.

"Currently we know that there are only 270 ICU beds within the country and not all of them are possibly equipped with ventilators," Shadrack Mambo, the Dean of the Kenyatta University School of Engineering and Technology, explained.

"Some probably share. It is with this in mind that we have set up a production unit that should be able to do roughly about 50 ventilators per week."

The team is awaiting approval to begin trials on the prototype,

which has already successfully passed quality testing set up by the Kenyan government.

As soon as it is given the green light, they will produce up to 50 respirators a week, for less than half the importation cost.