A 20-YEAR-OLD University of Zambia (UNZA) fourth-year pharmacy student has developed a body spray which can be used to prevent attacks on asthmatic and hypertensive patients. Florence Mulenga said in an interview yesterday that she was compelled to come up with the body spray because of her asthmatic condition. “There was a science competition countrywide and we were requested to come up with innovations to solve society problems. “I sat down to think about the problem which is affecting me, and since I have asthma, I decided to come up with something in those lines,” she said. Ms Mulenga put together several undisclosed ingredients to make the spray which prevents asthma attacks.

“The ingredients I put in the spray are capable of keeping the airwaves open throughout the day, meaning that when you are about to go into an asthma attack, your airwaves will not contract the way they do during an attack. “For hypertension, the spray lowers blood pressure,” Ms Mulenga said. The spray will only be on the market when research and development is done. Ms Mulenga needs support to enable her to develop the product and effectively package it.

“We need stakeholders to come on board and support the project. The theory is already there and I have won two awards for this project,” Ms Mulenga said. She has already presented her idea at several local and international gatherings. And UNZA communications officer Mulunda Habeenzu said in a statement that the concept behind the project is based on the fact that most asthmatic patients are allergic to most perfumes and body sprays.

He said a tailor-made body spray to act as medication to patients is therefore cardinal. Mr Habeenzu said many people are requesting for Ms Mulenga’s product but that it still needs more research to make it safe. During her research, Ms Mulenga was supported by WECREATE Zambia, Southern African Network for Biosciences, Hivos and many other organisations. Recently, Ms Mulenga participated in a countrywide bio-sciences competition dubbed ‘FemBioBiz acceleration programme’.

Her project emerged as the best student start-up and it earned her sponsorship to represenA 20-YEAR-OLD University of Zambia (UNZA) fourth-year pharmacy student has developed a body spray which can be used to prevent attacks on asthmatic and hypertensive patients. Florence Mulenga said in an interview yesterday that she was compelled to come up with the body spray because of her asthmatic condition. “There was a science competition countrywide and we were requested to come up with innovations to solve society problems.

“I sat down to think about the problem which is affecting me, and since I have asthma, I decided to come up with something in those lines,” she said. Ms Mulenga put together several undisclosed ingredients to make the spray which prevents asthma attacks. “The ingredients I put in the spray are capable of keeping the airwaves open throughout the day, meaning that when you are about to go into an asthma attack, your airwaves will not contract the way they do during an attack. “For hypertension, the spray lowers blood pressure,” Ms Mulenga said. The spray will only be on the market when research and development is done.

Ms Mulenga needs support to enable her to develop the product and effectively package it. “We need stakeholders to come on board and support the project. The theory is already there and I have won two awards for this project,” Ms Mulenga said. She has already presented her idea at several local and international gatherings. And UNZA communications officer Mulunda Habeenzu said in a statement that the concept behind the project is based on the fact that most asthmatic patients are allergic to most perfumes and body sprays.

He said a tailor-made body spray to act as medication to patients is therefore cardinal. Mr Habeenzu said many people are requesting for Ms Mulenga’s product but that it still needs more research to make it safe. During her research, Ms Mulenga was supported by WECREATE Zambia, Southern African Network for Biosciences, Hivos and many other organisations. Recently, Ms Mulenga participated in a countrywide bio-sciences competition dubbed ‘FemBioBiz acceleration programme’.

Her project emerged as the best student start-up and it earned her sponsorship to represent the country in South Africa at the African Women Innovation and Empowerment Forumt the country in South Africa at the African Women Innovation and Empowerment Forum