Team Epi App are congratulated for winning the Healthathon24
BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA
As Munashe Dube walked to the podium for the final presentation at the Cimas Health Group-Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) Healthathon24, his nerves were getting the better of him.
Holding a black plastic bag in his right hand, Dube cut a solitary figure as he approached the stage, preparing to face a panel of six judges and a packed conference room.
Unlike other groups, who appeared with their team members at their side, Dube stood alone, while his colleague, Lincoln Casette, remained behind the scenes.
Dube’s nerves were evident; his voice trembled, prompting one of the judges to gently ask if he was alright.
The second edition of the Healthathon, held under the theme, “Transforming Healthcare: Pioneering Tomorrow’s Health Solutions,” brought together nine university teams, all competing to showcase the most innovative health solutions.
“What is it?” asked Cimas Health Group’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Norman Mangena.
“I’m nervous,” Dube replied shyly.
“Ok, so what’s in that black plastic?” Mangena asked, probing further.
“It’s my prototype,” Dube replied.
“Please hide it,” Mangena advised. Dube complied, and this small adjustment seemed to calm him. He took a deep breath and resumed his presentation, this time with a newfound confidence and energy.
Dube, a Biomedical Engineering student, and his teammate Casette, who studies Electronics Engineering, had developed the “Epi App,” an Epilepsy Patient Monitoring System aimed at providing real-time support for epilepsy patients—an innovation both timely and crucial for Zimbabwe’s healthcare sector. Unlike other teams, who presented their ideas in theory, the Epi App team brought a prototype, a practical display that set them apart.
As Dube continued, the audience broke into applause, captivated by the display before them. The hard work of team Epi App paid off, as they ultimately claimed the grand prize at Healthathon24.
Even the guest of honor, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, Dr. Beaullah Chirume—representing Minister Tatenda Mavetera—was impressed. “The epilepsy design really touched me,” Dr. Chirume commented.
After being crowned the winners and awarded the coveted US$1,500 prize, Dube’s joy was evident as he attributed their success to teamwork.
“I’m so happy that we won. I’m glad our team effort paid off because we worked tirelessly,” he said.
Reflecting on his initial nerves, Dube added, “I was just feeling nervous presenting to a lot of people. Sometimes you just get nervous like that. And with so many judges on stage, I was a bit scared. But then I started to ease into it because I saw that most of the judges were supportive—they actually wanted to hear what I had to say. So I just went with the flow and settled down to present,” shared the 23-year-old.
