As 2020 comes to a close, we celebrate Alliance for African Partnership (AAP) members' innovations that impacted lives this past year. While COVID-19 largely disrupted academic life in institutions of higher learning, the pandemic spurred innovation across the 11 AAP member universities. These innovations not only ensured that academic programs continued, they also demonstrated the positive impact universities have on communities at large.

The most prevalent innovations centered on the shift from face-to-face teaching to online teaching and learning, albeit with challenges in countries where technological advancements are still low.

However, the pandemic saw faculty develop technologies that helped communities in various ways.

Innovations

Scientists at the University of Pretoria in South Africa developed and are currently producing unique nanobodies for detection of COVID-19 that could be used in rapid tests and as a therapy for COVID-19.

A statement from the university said the nanobodies can also be used to design ‘dipstick’ tests, to test saliva, and produce a result in a few minutes, just like a pregnancy test. These can be used in communities and in homes for diagnosis of COVID-19.

Also at University of Pretoria, their accelerator program start-up, Aviro Health, has developed an automated chatbot app, Pocket Clinic, for the Western Cape Department of Health, which works via WhatsApp and confirms delivery of chronic medication to patients’ homes.

The engineering department at Makerere University joined many who designed and produced low-cost ventilators and EPI tents. EPI tents, used as isolation and mobile units, have been well adopted by Ugandan and Ethiopian governments that ordered more than 100 to be placed in critical places.

In Senegal, the Department of Human Science at Cheikh Anta Diop University developed a robot that delivers food and sanitizer to Covid-19 patients. Over and above this, UCAD is producing 6000 liters of alcohol-based sanitizers daily. The most interesting part is that these community serving innovations were developed by STEM students at the university.

In Kenya, Egerton University’s Department of Chemistry moved quickly to start producing sanitizers and their textiles department started making masks for faculty and students, as well as surrounding communities.

“The pandemic is an opportunity for innovators,” said Prof. Rose Mwonya, Egerton Vice Chancellor.

The AAP is a consortium of 10 African institutions and Michigan State University. The AAP contributes to MSU’s long-term engagement in Africa, building on the foundation laid by the African Studies Center and evolving models of engagement in line with AAP’s guiding principles of accountability, equity, inclusivity, sustainability and transparency.