Problem · 15 July 2026
The timing gap before anaemia
Haemoglobin is a late signal. ZPP rises while iron stores are still falling — that is the prevention window ZAWADI is built to observe.
Iron deficiency can begin before conventional anaemia is obvious. Many screening pathways still depend on blood collection, laboratory infrastructure, and markers that identify the problem only after it has progressed.
Zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) rises during iron-restricted erythropoiesis — earlier than the haemoglobin drop that defines anaemia. ZAWADI is a research programme exploring whether a blood-free optical-acoustic measurement can make that earlier window visible at the point of care.
Our beachhead is antenatal care in Rwanda, where repeatable, low-friction screening matters for mothers and health systems alike. The work is early: feasibility, prototype integration, and calibration against accepted reference methods come before any clinical claim.
Development-stage notice: ZAWADI is under active validation. Not a diagnostic substitute. Regulatory status: Research and development programme — not submitted for regulatory clearance and not offered for clinical diagnosis or commercial use.