A NEW TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED BY SLOVAK SCIENTISTS IS HELPING IN KENYA. IT HELPS DIAGNOSE DISEASE AND WATER QUALITY IN HARD-TO-REACH PLACES
Bratislava, 24 June 2025: In the middle of the remote, hard-to-reach, and arid region of northern Kenya (Kalacha, Marsabit), a diagnostic centre is being established that uses a Slovak scientific innovation. The non-commercial device called QUANTUM, which has been under development for almost 14 years at the Department of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University Bratislava (PriF CU), is a cutting-edge technology designed for rapid preliminary analysis of water and biological samples directly in the field, without the need for a laboratory, electrical grid, or internet connection.
The development is led by scientists Samuel Furka and Daniel Furka from PriF CU and their team, who set out to combine the accuracy of laboratory analysis with ease of use in demanding conditions. Today, the technology uses machine learning algorithms and elements of artificial intelligence to recognise even very weak signals from chemical and biological samples. Physicians and scientists from Canada, Cuba, Austria, and the United Kingdom also contributed to the development.
Currently, the QUANTUM technology forms the foundation of the QUANTUM HEALTH initiative (project SAMRS/2024/KE/1/2), which is underway in Marsabit County, northern Kenya. This is a region with a challenging security situation and a frequent occurrence of infectious diseases. The local population suffers from a chronic lack of drinking water and healthcare infrastructure. In 2025, a version of the device called QUANTUM WATER, designed for rapid water quality analysis, began to be implemented in the area. During May and June 2025, part of the team used this technology to analyse more than 1,600 water samples from various sources - wells, springs, and running streams. A digital map of drinking water quality is being created, which will be available to local authorities and the public. Preliminary results show alarming levels of microplastics, oils, bacteria (e.g. E. coli), heavy metals, cyanides, and other environmental contaminants in some water sources. In other sources, the presence of detectable contaminants was not confirmed. The technology also detects deviations from the reference parameters of clean water, allowing it to warn of the presence of contamination even without precise identification.
In the next phase of the project, the non-commercial deployment of the QUANTUM BLOOD & URINE device is planned for the region, enabling preliminary diagnostics of multiple diseases from urine and stool, including certain diseases of the bladder, kidneys, liver, digestive tract, as well as selected oncological diagnoses, diabetes, and metabolic disorders. In environments without access to laboratories, the device can significantly improve early disease detection and make subsequent health interventions more effective.
Systematic education of the local community is taking place in parallel, with more than 30 trained participants from different parts of Kenya, under the leadership of the expert team from CU, participating in sample collection and pre-processing, device operation, and basic interpretation of measured data. The QUANTUM HEALTH initiative thus combines scientific research, technological development, and practical assistance in demanding conditions. The team’s goal is to introduce the analysers into ordinary clinics in Europe, where they would serve for rapid preliminary or preventive diagnostics and for more effective patient referral to further specialised or laboratory examinations. The expert team is carrying out this initiative in Kenya with the financial support of Slovak Aid, the Slovak Agency for International Development Cooperation, and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic.
More information about the project: Faculty of Natural Sciences of CU, tatrasky.com
The project, “Improving public health by sending doctors, community education, providing internships and deploying an AI disease analyser and water purification equipment (SAMRS/2024/KE/1/2),” lasting from December 2024 to April 2026, is implemented using the funds from the state development assistance of the Slovak Republic.