The Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS) welcomed Rt. Hon. Eng. Asiimwe Jonard Akiiki from Uganda’s Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Secretariat for a visit to showcase locally developed healthcare innovations and strengthen collaboration between academia and government.
The Makerere University Biomedical Engineering Unit (MakBME), through its Design Cube innovation hub, presented a number of medical technologies designed to address pressing healthcare challenges in Uganda and other low-resource settings. Among the innovations showcased were the KeyScope, a low-cost laparoscope for surgical visualization, the Gastroschisis Gastro-Bag, prosthetic upper-limb devices, a spinal back brace, Matica Cards, and the NeoNest Infant Transport Warmer developed by CHE Innovations, a MakBME spin-out company.
Several of the showcased technologies were developed through the Design Cube, MakBME’s innovation hub established through the Duke–MakBME partnership. The Design Cube supports multidisciplinary teams in transforming ideas into practical healthcare solutions by providing mentorship, design support, prototyping facilities, clinical collaboration, and pathways toward implementation.
During the visit, the Minister interacted with innovators, researchers, students, and faculty members, gaining firsthand insight into the research and engineering processes behind the technologies. The discussions underscored the importance of translating locally driven research into scalable healthcare solutions capable of improving patient outcomes across Uganda.
In his closing remarks, Rt. Hon. Eng. Asiimwe Jonard Akiiki commended the innovators for their commitment to addressing local healthcare challenges through engineering and innovation. He reaffirmed the Science, Technology and Innovation Secretariat’s commitment to supporting research, innovation, and commercialisation efforts that contribute to national development.
The visit reaffirmed the critical role of collaboration between government, academia, clinicians, and innovators in accelerating the development and adoption of locally engineered medical technologies. As MakBME continues to advance healthcare innovation through the Design Cube and its spin-out company, CHE Innovations, it continues to advance the development of affordable, context-appropriate healthcare solutions for Uganda and beyond.
