These innovations are helping combat Covid-19 across Africa

Published 8:55 PM ET, Tue November 10, 2020

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This rapid test kit developed in Senegal is the latest innovation designed to help fight the pandemic in Africa. A small finger-prick of blood, much like an insulin test, is read by the plastic stick and delivers a result in less than 10 minutes.
Scroll through the gallery to see more Covid-19 innovations from across the continent. CNN

Senegal's test kits will first be distributed to public health authorities, with a goal to eventually become available to the general public for testing at home. CNN

Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, also recently announced the development of a cheaper test kit that will provide results in under 40 minutes. Until now, Nigeria was importing its tests from China and was unable to keep up with demand. Here, a patient takes a coronavirus test at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital isolation center back in May. Audu Marte/AFP/Getty Images

Companies like Zipline are also hoping to combat the disease -- through the air, using drones like this one. The US-based company has distribution centers in Rwanda and Ghana, and is using its drones to deliver medical supplies to local clinics. Zipline

Rwanda is also enlisting the help of robots, which will be used for mass temperature screening, keeping track of medical records for Covid-19 patients, and monitoring overall patient status -- cutting down on contact and exposure risk between patients and healthcare workers. Rwanda Biomedical Centre

The robots can also screen up to 150 patients per minutes for symptoms of the virus, like fever and cough. Rwanda Biomedical Centre

In Kenya, 9-year-old Stephen Wamukota received a presidential award for designing and building a wooden handwashing machine. The machine operates using food pedals, cutting down on the need to touch surfaces with hands. James Wamukota