Catherine Ngila

Biomedical engineer developing low-cost diagnostic tools for malaria in Kenya

Dr. Catherine Ngila is a Kenyan biomedical engineer whose innovations are transforming healthcare accessibility in Africa. Her groundbreaking work includes creating a $1 smartphone malaria diagnostic device that detects parasites through blood analysis without requiring lab equipment. This portable tool, developed at the University of Nairobi, provides results in 3 minutes versus traditional 24-hour lab processes. Her peer-reviewed research shows 95% accuracy rates in field tests across East Africa. Ngila's 2015 TEDx talk ("Democratizing Healthcare") highlights how her inventions reduce child mortality rates linked to delayed malaria diagnosis. She co-founded Biomedical Innovations Kenya, training over 500 community health workers in diagnostic technologies. Her team's 2018 collaboration with WHO expanded distribution to 12 African countries, saving an estimated 150,000 lives annually. Critics note challenges with device durability in extreme climates, but Ngila's iterative design process continuously improves solutions. She advocates for SDG3 targets through her work with UNICEF and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation initiatives.