By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
Two third-year Engineering
students at the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) have won the
top prize in this year’s Design Studio Competition with an innovation aimed at
helping detect hearing impairment in newborns.
The winning innovation,
Neohearscreen, was developed by Sekani Msachi, a Chemical Engineering student,
and Francis Chantulo, a Biomedical Engineering student.
The competition was held at
the MUST campus in Thyolo under the theme “Safe and Sustainable Maternal and
Neonatal Health Solutions.”
It brought together 14
student teams, each given five minutes to pitch their ideas before a panel of
judges. The competition provided students with an opportunity to apply their
knowledge and creativity to challenges affecting the health and well-being of
mothers and newborns.
The NeoCheck team secured
second place and also won the People’s Choice Award, recognising the audience’s
appreciation of its innovation. Cedrick Mmangisa, who competed individually
with his own idea, finished third.
Speaking during the event,
MUST Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Wilson Mandala congratulated the winning
teams and all students who participated in the competition.
He encouraged students to
remain determined as they work to turn their ideas into practical solutions.
“Falling down is not a
problem, but staying down is,” Professor Mandala said, urging students to learn
from challenges and keep moving forward.
He also commended the
quality of the ideas presented, noting that they aligned with the university’s
commitment to promoting innovation and developing solutions to societal
challenges.
