Dr Joseph Nderitu stationed at Kenyatta National Hospital has invented an antiviral surgical mask.
Viruses die as soon as they come into contact with the surgical mask.
In an interview with Nation, he said that he drew his inspiration from substandard face masks that flooded the market following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr Nderitu said the regular surgical masks were just mechanical barriers that filtered microbes, but there was nothing to kill the separated bacteria or viruses.
He said his invention is based on nano mask technology.
“Those (microbes) that are filtered remain on the surface of the masks, and because the mask is just a physical barrier, there’s nothing to kill the bacteria or viruses on the surface. As a result, the bacteria accumulate and become a hazard to the user of the mask and others,” said Nderitu.
In the innovation, Nderitu used woven fabric so that it could be washed multiple times without losing its antimicrobial qualities.
The fabric is treated with nanoproducts and is woven from scratch.
He then approached Bedi Investments in Nakuru that deals in textiles.
The manufacturer helped develop the antimicrobial fabric and made the masks.
The National Microbiology Reference Laboratory tested and approve the masks of use.
All the tests conducted to verify the antimicrobial potency of the fabric indicated that there was no bacterial growth.
The protective equipment is now trading as Tiira Nano Mask.