The institution won the award under the banner Higher Education Partnerships in sub-Saharan Africa (HEPSSA). Under this Project, The Polytechnic engineering lecturers were on the ground (gain firsthand experience) to appreciate emerging skills in the field in an effort to keep up the pace with the dynamic industrial world. 

According to the HEPSSA Project Team Leader, Dr Zugzo Kaunda, through it they have managed to develop, manufacture and design a resuscitation machine for neonates (newborns) patients at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital. 

“We designed and manufactured a resuscitation machine for use on neonatal patients. Based on our research, there is no such machine in Malawi. Again, there is scanty information available on the development and usage of the resuscitation machines worldwide (obviously because the manufacturers of such machine keep important information as company secrets)”. 

“For these reasons, at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital uses manual resuscitation technique which demands more than two health workers whenever they encounter a patient in cardiac condition, respiratory arrest or both,” Kaunda explained.

Through the project, all bachelor’s degree engineering programmes were revised, engineers from industry were engaged in curricula review and training of engineering students.

Furthermore, a research agenda with the industry was established, and partnerships with industry and universities were created and enhanced. 

The Team was comprising of: Dr. Suzgo Kaunda (Principal Researcher), Dr. Theresa Mkandawire (Polytechnic), Dr. Kondwani Kamwaza (College of Medicine and Queen Elisabeth Central Hospital), Mr. Million Mafuta (Polytechnic), Mr. Joseph Mulungu (Queen Elisabeth Central Hospital), Mr. Isaac Pelani (Queen Elisabeth Central Hospital) and Mr. Asimenye Mwakisulu (Mchinji District Hospital). The students (Mr. Isaac Pelani and Mr. Asimenye Mwakisulu).