By Mark Kawalya
Terry Pratchett once said that “A man is not dead while his name is still spoken.” This quote best describes how tech entrepreneur Christopher Nsamba will be remembered. The innovator who created SAVANT X, a machine that can simultaneously incubate ten babies, tragically died at the age of 37.
According to reports in the Ugandan media, Nsamba succumbed to diabetes after a long battle with the disease. Christopher was the founder of the African Space Research Program, which had a reputation as a creator of innovative technologies. Christopher received worldwide attention for designing the world’s largest incubator.
In a tribute, the Ministry of Health lauded Nsamba as an exceptional person whose innovative ideas will be missed by the country.
“The management of the Ministry of Health is deeply saddened by the passing of Mr. Christopher Nsamba, known for his innovation and installation of 10 baby incubators at Kawempe and Mukono hospitals. Other innovations are drones and baby ICUs for ambulances. May his soul rest in eternal peace” a statement from the Ministry of Health reads.
SAVANT X has been used in saving the lives of hundreds of premature-born babies in Uganda due to its ability to incubate 10 babies at once that are monitored in different chambers. The incubator also has technology that enables it to adjust the environment to suit the baby in case medical personnel are far from reach.
The machine also transmits real-time data so it can be wirelessly monitored by a healthcare provider even when they are not in the vicinity of the incubator. Additionally, SAVANT X is able to monitor oxygen levels in a baby’s blood, along with heart beats per minute and tabulate a pulse graph for the heartbeat. In the event that a baby ceases to breathe, the incubator triggers an alarm that alerts the medical team on standby.
In 2021, Nsamba received recognition from the Official World Record Association for having built the largest incubator in the world. SAVANT X was also recognized as the most sophisticated and technologically advanced baby incubator ever developed. He also won the Innovation of the Year Award for the “Heroes in Health” awards for the same year in Uganda.
As an extension of his work, Nsamba has also designed drones and baby ICU units for ambulances.
