Our Mission
At MariTest, our mission is to revolutionize malaria diagnosis and treatment in sub-Saharan Africa. We strive to create innovative, accessible, and non-invasive diagnostic tools that save lives and bring hope to communities burdened by malaria.
We are committed to eradicating this devastating disease through advanced technology, real-time monitoring, and community-driven solutions.
Our Story
In 2021, an unexpected encounter changed our founder Kakooza Hakims life that sparked the creation of MariTest. While interning on the remote Bussi Island in Uganda, Kakooza experienced a severe bout of fever. Despite having faced fever before, this time was different and much worse.
One morning, Kakooza felt the familiar signs of malaria. But by this time, the fever had escalated. He went to a local healthcare center, only to wait three grueling hours and be told that they had run out of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test kits (RDTs) and antimalarial drugs. With COVID-19 lockdowns in place, he was stuck on the island with few options.
Desperate, Kakooza turned to local remedies to manage his fever. His condition worsened, but luckily, a special travel permit allowed him to reach a private hospital on the mainland. By then, the parasites had severely damaged his liver, bringing him close to death.
During his recovery, Kakooza reflected on the harsh reality faced by those without access to adequate healthcare. Malaria is a massive burden in Africa, infecting 241 million people and killing over half a million in 2020 alone. Every 75 seconds, a child under five died from the disease. The major issues were limited access to early diagnosis and treatment, poor vector control, lack of medical facilities, and a shortage of healthcare workers.
Determined to make a difference, Kakooza, leveraging his machine learning expertise from Fundi Bots Uganda and entrepreneurial skills from the African Leadership University, teamed up with four other amazing individuals with diverse skills but on a shared mission to fight malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. MariTest was created.
MariTest is a reusable, non-invasive, automated diagnostic and prescription device that was designed to bridge the gap in malaria diagnosis and treatment, embodying the teams commitment to a malaria-free future.
