Africa will fulfill its mandate, says Nigerian nominated for $100,000 challenge

Olanisun Adewale, one of the two Nigerians who reached the final rounds of the 2017 Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) competition, says he sees Africa breaking chains and fulfilling its mandate in the global arena.

Innovators from nine African countries including Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Kenya, Liberia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe were shortlisted.

Adewale and Omolabake Adenlethe were selected for the finals of the challenge, themed ‘African Innovation: Investing in Prosperity’.

Adewale, a physician and pulmonologist, developed ‘Sweat TB Test’, a non-invasive rapid diagnostic test to detect tuberculosis.

According to him, Sweat TB Test leverages on TB specific marker in sweat of patients, to produce a point- of- care test to detect TB, within ten minutes, without any needle prick.

In simple steps, reports are read and patients commenced on medication as needed at the same clinic visit. It has the potential to contribute towards effectively controlling TB, reducing TB-related deaths and holding promise to prevent drug resistance TB in Africa.

In an interview with TheCable, Adewale said the idea was born over four years ago, “Out of the need to create faster, cheaper and sensitive test to detect tuberculosis in a simple step that can be used in many clinics and hospitals”.

“With this innovation, I want to see TB diagnosis made faster anywhere in the world, by anyone at an affordable cost.

“I hope this strengthens Africa health system, reduce new infection and ultimately assist in curbing the scourge of TB globally as well.

“I see Africa rising from many things that has kept her down, breaking away chains and shackles and fulfilling her mandate in the global arena.

“The challenges I’ve encountered so far are quite common with any innovation in science. Doing things repeatedly gives mastery and you cannot repeat what does not work; you’ll have to keep working until you finally shout Eureka!”

Adewale said even if he did not emerge victorious in the competition, he would continue to be innovative in his chosen field.