Opportunity Area
How might we improve access to maternal health pharmaceuticals and supplies for the youth in Uganda?
Sub Area:
Improve information flow between distribution actors, health facilities and the end-user (youth) to drive demand for services;
What is the title of your idea?
Our idea is called UriSAF
Describe your idea in one sentence.
A digital system to enable patients check for uterine tract and kidney infections by use of a custom hardware without a medical personnel.
Where are you located?
We are located at the College of Engineering Design Art and Technology in Makerere University.
Are you incorporated?
No
If not, do you hope to complete within the next one month once accepted into the program?
Yes
How did you come up with the idea? Explain briefly how you identified the need or opportunity?
We took a survey in several clinics and hospitals in Kampala and we looked at the methods used to test for uterine tract infections and it was the common method where they use a litmus paper in the urine sample and test the urine under a microscope. This requires a medical lab attendant to test the samples for every patient, which we find that in Uganda there are not enough medical personnel for the patients in Uganda. In the rural areas, the medical personnel are even fewer and many people end up not getting medical attention. We also noticed especially in the youth is that testing for UTIs is something they shun away from because of the shame that society with having a UTI.
What problem does your idea solve in the market?
Our idea solves the problem of few medical personnel who are there to do the microscopic lab tests of people’s urine samples, hence you find people don’t go for checkups because there are no people to do the testing. This idea also solves the problem of people shunning away from going to clinics for UTI checkups with fear of people knowing their status. With this project people will be able to have their own hardware at home, do personal tests, save their data on the cloud through a phone app and will be able to send their results to their doctor through the same app.
Who are the beneficiaries of your solution and how will they benefit?
The beneficiaries of this solution are people who are sexually active of which these are mainly the youth. These are the people who will most likely be liable to contract uterine tract infections. The rate at which the youth acquire these infections is quite high yet very few of them come out to go for checkups and get treatment due to fear of shame because in our society diseases that are gotten through sexual transmission are considered shameful. Pregnant mothers are also a big target group.
Why are you convinced your idea will solve the challenge or need?
We are convinced that our solution will solve the challenge because it will enable all people who have acquired the device to test themselves at their convenience and privacy without having their results disclosed to anyone else apart from their doctor through their phone app if they so wish. This will encourage more and more people to test because it will not require the long lines that you find in hospitals when people who have given their samples are waiting for their results.
What other initiatives like yours exist out there? How will you differentiate yourself?
Other initiatives out there that exist is the usual clinical test where a patient gives their urine sample to a medical lab personnel, the sample is tested under a microscope for several parameters like specific gravity, glucose content, white blood cells, red blood cells, blood and pus. This can only be done by a medical lab personnel who knows how to operate a microscope.
Our solution is better than this method because we have a system that will enable individuals to test themselves without having to go to a clinic. Our system gives instant results and diagnosis and won’t need a medical personnel to operate it, this means many people can test themselves in the comfort of their homes. Our system provides privacy as people tend to be very secretive with issues that concern their sexual reproductive health, so a person will test themselves and can have their results not shared with a lab attendant but only a doctor that they wish.
What have you done up-to date to test your idea with potential users? What learnings do you have to share?
What we have done to date is to test with different urine samples with our pH sensor and glucose testing unit that we have built to test for glucose levels in the urine samples. We are also in the process of acquiring a weight sensor to be able to measure the specific gravity of the different samples because it is an important parameter in the testing for UTIs and kidney problems. Our pH tests have so far proved to be accurate and with just a pH test we can record a pH value and get to know if a person has a UTI or not.
Please tell us about each founder and their roles on the team. How do you know your founders and how long have you worked together?
The first founder is Alvin Kabwama who is an electrical engineer with 5 years’ experience in sensor development and instrumentation, robotics, electronics drone development and flight.The second founder is Kalyesubula Stephen. He is young law abiding Ugandan citizen who is religious, dynamic, intelligent, highly motivated and hardworking with good decision making capabilities. He is a computer engineer from at Makerere University with over 4 years’ experience in wireless networks, cyber security, design automation, robotics, embedded systems design, machine intelligence, research, big data and open data with a passion in research.The third founder is Fred Byakuyamba. He a researcher at Center for Technology Design and Development, Makerere University and is the Head Developer for the Design, development and deployment of the I-Health android app and also Maama-Nze app for pregnant mothers.
Please tell us about other team members that are not cofounders.
Dr. Frank Goodrich Muteguya is a professional doctor and a therapist currently acting as the director for ASECODE Africa a health center located at Makerere along Sir Appolo Kaggwa Road. We have been working with him for quite long on health related projects like the remote heart rate monitor.
Please describe each founder’s previous experience starting out a business or working in the area of sexual reproductive health? Or You can share anything impressive that each founder brings to the team.
Alvin Kabwama has already worked with several projects as their hardware developer which include Matibabu, non-invasive malaria diagnosis application for early instant malaria detection. He is currently working Innovex Uganda Limited in charge of drone services.Kalyesubula Stephen He is acting as Researcher, Software developer and Assistant Team Leader. I have been particularly moved by Stephen’s determination and commitment to the project and I am confident that working with him for quite long on very many projects will be a success as well.Fred Byakuyamba is responsible for establishing a software requirement specification, design models, User interfaces as well as spear heading the design of the android app that will interface with the hardware system.
Where is your team located? Please indicate the city or town.
Kampala in Makerere University
Which members of your team will attend the program full-time?
Kalysubula Stephen
Fred Byakuyamba
Kabwama Alvin
Please share a link to a 3 minute online video that best describes your idea and your team
https://youtu.be/zXVFpQxix0Q
Supporting Documents
View Document
How old are you?
24
Gender
Male
