FOR designing a biodegradable home urine rapid-testing kit, a student of the University of the Philippines Diliman bagged the top prize in the wellness and health category of the 10th jumpthegap Roca International Design Contest.

Andre Judiel Parabas, a BS Interior Design student, was recognized for his innovative design called “P-Kit”, a home urinalysis kit that patients with diabetes or kidney ailments can use to monitor their condition.

The testing kit consists of three parts – a universal toilet seat, a urine cup labeled with instructions, and a urine cup cover that contains various reagents.

“A user would acquire the P-Kit from a nearby dispenser, unfold the toilet seat cover, and then place the urine cup in the allotted slot in the middle,” the university said.

“After filling the cup with the appropriate amount of urine, the cup is covered and rapidly flipped upside down. After a 60-second wait, the cup is flipped right side up. The user can then see and read the results based on the guide printed on the label,” it added.

Parabas said he wanted the entire P-Kit to be manufactured using plant-based bioplastic made from water hyacinths which are plentiful in the Philippines.

The P-Kit can be disposed along with other biodegradables after flushing the urine sample.

“Aside from detecting iyong changes sa commonly known biometrics such as blood sugar, proteins, and acidity, nadi-detect din ng P-Kit ang presence ng S. pneumoniae antigen (for pneumonia), and HIV and histidine rich protein 2(HRP2) produced by malaria parasites,” Parabas explained.

“There are studies na naka-prove na kayang ma-detect ang mga diseases na ito gamit ang urine especially sa HIV and malaria na widely used na po iyong urine testing for its early detection,” he said.

While the P-Kit is not a substitute for a complete laboratory urinalysis, its accessibility could be critical for early detection and monitoring.

“The P-Kit could provide an accessible and early detection noong mga ito para magka-information agad kung anong diseases iyong maaaring meron sila. Bukod pa rito, napo-provide ng P-Kit iyong different markers na ito sa one urine cup, thus making it more efficient for people,” Parabas said.

“Since urine lang po ang gagamitin, non-invasive test siya for everyone. This makes any toilet not just a space for relief but also a room for assessing your personal health,” he added.