Two Kenyan innovators were among four finalists in the 2026 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, The Star reported. Naom Monari founded Renal Roads, a mobile dialysis clinic. Dr Alice Muhuhu developed MoyoECG, a portable heart device. The prize is awarded by the Royal Academy of Engineering and recognises African innovators solving major problems on the continent.
The finalists were chosen from a group of 16 entrepreneurs who completed eight months of training and mentoring. The overall winner was Nigerien engineer Mamane Kabirou Ousseini. He built Likita Care, a locally made system that monitors patients' vital signs, heart activity and pregnancy-related conditions. He is the first engineer from Niger to take part in and win the prize. "Winning the Africa Prize is a dream come true," Ousseini said.
Monari, a trained nurse, saw the problem while working in Kenya's public health system. Most dialysis centres are in major towns and cities. Rural patients can travel up to 200 kilometres each way, sometimes twice a week. Some miss treatment because they cannot afford the trip. Missed sessions can lead to serious complications and even death.
Her research in 2022-2023, funded by the International Development Research Centre, confirmed the pattern. It led to Renal Roads, a clinic built inside a 40-foot shipping container mounted on a trailer. The clinic moves between rural communities on a fixed weekly schedule and operates from local government health facilities. The Social Health Authority covers the sessions, so patients pay nothing out of pocket.
An independent evaluation of the first rollout in Murang'a County found that the distance patients travelled fell by 76.6 per cent. Treatment adherence rose by 100 per cent. The clinic now serves more than 100 patients a month and delivers about 700 sessions. More than 200 people are on its waiting list. Monari said that the prize gives her team visibility and networks to scale up. She added that a more compact version is planned within three years.
Muhuhu's device tackles the late detection of heart disease. According to The Star, fewer than six per cent of Kenyan health facilities have specialised heart diagnostic equipment. MoyoECG records the heart's electrical activity and uses artificial intelligence to flag possible abnormalities. It is designed for frontline clinics with limited equipment, electricity or internet access.
Clinical trials showed that the device can detect irregular heartbeats, reduced blood supply to the heart and salt imbalances in the body. In early trials, it cut the time needed to interpret results from about 30 minutes to under five. That could help health workers refer patients to specialists sooner.