Patient of a vending machine won a prize of $ 25,000

With this device, the patient only needs to provide the prescription code provided by phone, then use it to access the drug receiving system.

Each time he waited to buy TB medicine, Neo Hutiri , an electrical engineer, had to wait at least 2 hours. From that experience, he embarked on inventing an automatic vending machine to save waiting time for patients. This innovative product helped Hutiri bring back the $ 25,000 prize of the Royal African Academy of Technology.

The automatic vending machine, called Neo Hutiri's Pelebox, helped patients save a lot of time waiting in line to buy medicine, which is common in many countries in Africa.

Neo Hutiri and the vending machine automatically named the Pelebox he created.

Mr. Neo Hutiri, shared: 'I was trained to build solutions and products. This idea, in general, comes from my own feelings whenever I have to wait to buy medicine. It really takes me a lot of time '.

Accordingly, the system includes prescription drug storage boxes and is managed by medical personnel. In order to be able to purchase the drug in this machine, the patient must provide the prescription code provided by phone, then use it as an ATM and pin code, to access the system.

Patients use Pelebox as ATM trees and need pin codes to access the system.

Neo Hutiri added: 'This machine makes patients more comfortable when buying medicine. Because to them, going to the clinic made them feel stressed, and having to wait in line to buy medicine leads to another stress. '

Hutiri's invention has received positive feedback from users. Many patients said that they were really stunned with the long queues waiting for their turn to buy medicine, which took time and was tired from standing too long.

Paulinah Masingi, a patient, shared: 'This machine is really helpful. When I receive a message on the phone, I can go to pick up the medicine any time I want. I don't need to wait for a long time. I'm really happy about that. '

This system of drug vending machines helped Mr. Hutiri bring home a prize of $ 25,000.

Neo Hutiri hopes that its products will be further developed and replicated in public hospitals, to help reduce pressure on both patients and health workers.