African Influencers For Development 

Simon Ndirangu



Biotechnology student Simon Ndirangu, is the brains behind the country’s much-talked about low-cost, mass-produced coronavirus nasal swabs. Using 3-D printing, Simon’s innovation, has the potential to produce 100,000 of these less invasive swabs per day, with each costing less than a dollar!


Simon Ndirangu, a fourth-year biotechnology student at Kenyatta University, has come up with a 3-D printed nasal swab, an essential tool in the testing of COVID-19. “The swabs are made using ABS (acrynitrile butadiene styrene) material which is common thermoplastic polymer used in food packaging, toys and home appliances,” Simon says 

Simon’s invention came at a time when the Kenyan government had sounded the alarm over the shortage of testing swabs. According to Simon, his invention can produce 3,000 swabs a day. The swabs are priced for as little as $1 granting the country a crucial advantage in the pandemic fight. 

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