Nigerian scientist wins $100,000 prize for work in preserving newborns alive

Hippolite Amadi, a Nigerian and Professor of Medical Engineering and Expertise, has gained a $100,000 prize for rising because the winner of the Nigerian Prize for Science 2023.

Mr Amadi, a visiting professor on the Imperial Faculty London, emerged this 12 months’s winner of the annual award along with his work on respiratory applied sciences for preserving Nigerian newborns alive.

Profitable entry

Asserting the winner of the Nigeria LNG Restricted (NLNG)-sponsored annual award, the Prize’s Advisory Board, led by Barth Nnaji, a professor, mentioned the profitable work was based mostly on the theme: “Innovation for Enhancement of Healthcare Remedy”.

The profitable improvements comprise a Non-invasive Neonatal Ventilator (NIV), an Oxygen Supply Blender System, and an Oxygen Splitter System, all powered by photo voltaic vitality.

The NIV is taken into account the gold normal within the care of preterm infants with respiratory misery syndrome (RDS).

Mr Nnaji mentioned Mr Amadi’s work has not solely considerably superior neonatal care in Nigeria and related nations, but it surely has additionally additional improved entry and lowered the price of neonatal care by inflicting an noticed discount out there costs of the competing and present gadgets.

“The entry showcased three (3) technological improvements geared toward saving the lives of neonates by making the supply of oxygen low cost and simple. The primary innovation is the non-invasive Neonatal Ventilator, a key invention (The bubble Well mannered CPAP) for steady optimistic airway stress (CPAP) air flow of very-low-birth-weight neonates, a possible various to the available improvised bubble CPAP (IBCPAP) in cost-constrained settings.

“The second and third improvements are the Oxygen Supply Blender System, which permits for the protected supply of oxygen with out the hazard of toxicity, and the Oxygen Splitter System, which permits for the usage of a shared supply of oxygen to many neonates at a time, in conditions the place piped oxygen isn’t obtainable. These gadgets are all photo voltaic powered,” he said.

He said additional that the gadgets have been tried by practitioners at varied hospitals throughout Nigeria, including that there are studies from these hospitals that the innovation, PoliteCPAP, is an enchancment on the prevailing system because it supplies entry to ventilators and oxygen supply concurrently to neonates at an especially diminished price of N750,000 as towards N6.5 million for the prevailing system with comparable and higher effectivity.

Presidency commends innovation

President Bola Tinubu has additionally congratulated the winner and recommended improvements which have diminished neonatal care prices considerably and saved lives in hospitals which have adopted the usage of the solar-powered neonatal ventilator.

The president recommended Mr Amadi for leveraging his in depth background in medical engineering and expertise, with a particular concentrate on inexpensive medical programs, for the betterment, progress, and good thing about Nigerians and humanity usually.

“This vital work by this nice Nigerian scientist will contribute to preserving extra Nigerian kids alive after delivery and getting ready them for a greater future as optimistic change makers and influencers each at house and overseas,” reads a press release by the President’s Particular Adviser on Media & Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.

About winner

Mr Amadi obtained a bachelor’s diploma in Mechanical Engineering and a Masters of Engineering Expertise and Administration from the Enugu State College of Expertise in 1988 and 1991 respectively.

He additionally obtained a Grasp of Engineering in Drugs on the Imperial Faculty, London in 2002 and a Doctorate in Orthopaedic Biomechanics on the similar establishment in 2006.

Professor Amadi is presently a visiting professor of Medical Engineering and Expertise on the Imperial Faculty London. Earlier than his work at Imperial Faculty, he was a professor of Medical Expertise at Imo State College.

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His profession spans over three a long time, reducing throughout engineering in healthcare, orthopaedics, and neonatology analysis. He’s additionally the writer of the e book “Born to Stay, To not Die.”

His current position at Imperial Faculty London focuses on Frugal Medical Expertise for low- and middle-income nations. This runs alongside his place because the Principal Marketing consultant at Neonatal Considerations for Africa charity organisation.

Qosim Suleiman is a reporter at Premium Occasions in partnership with Report for the World, which matches native newsrooms with gifted rising journalists to report on under-covered points across the globe